Part 5
When Gale crawls into Madge's bed late the next morning, Madge doesn't even bother pushing him away. Usually when he tries to literally sleep on top of her, she would push him away, but she doesn't this time. She can see the way his shoulders sag and there are dark heavy bags under his eyes. He looks like he was hit head on by a fast moving train after a hard day.
Gale instantly loops his arms around her ribcage and cuddles his face into her chest, breathing in her fresh scent, and hoping she wouldn't push him away. He was pleasantly surprised when she wraps her arms around his shoulders tightly, drawing lazy patterns in between his shoulder blades with her fingers soothingly. His muscles begin to slowly relax, first in his shoulders and neck and all the way to his toes. Curling more into her soft bedding and her, sleep approaches him like a freight train.
"I love you." He kisses her collarbone, his voice so full of sleep and exhaustion, it sounds heavy like a burden was resting on his shoulders. It was the last thing he said before his eyes drift shut and his entire body settles into a deep sleep. Madge doesn't even bother trying to untangle herself from the restraints that are his arms. Instead, she just continues to draw patterns of constellations in the groove of his shoulder blades.
It was nearly 9 in the morning by now. Madge had had a restless sleep, constantly tossing and turning throughout the night. No matter what position she laid in or how many times she flipped her pillow, it just wasn't going to happen. She liked to think it was because Gale wasn't with her. She also liked to think she had grown used to having him in her bed, his weight and distribution on the mattress familiar. And sure, he was part of the problem, but just in a different way. Her castle – her country – had just been attacked and, like Gale felt in the hospital, she felt like they weren't fully gone, like they were just right around the corner. So she felt unsafe without Gale there to protect her. Sure, she usually has Thom, but he was busy with meetings with her father last night, as was Gale. The attack has left her petrified and she knew it was stupid.
So in return for her fear, she had an awful night's sleep. Madge highly considers trying to go back to sleep now that Gale was here to protect her, but she couldn't find it in her. For some reason, she knew he was in a deep sleep and it would be hard to wake him. So going back to sleep could only endanger her as much as it did when he wasn't here. She also considered getting up for the day and taking a nice, long, hot bath that would soothe her muscles and her thoughts, but she also couldn't find it in her to have to possibly fight in a towel with nothing to defend her.
As she said before, she knew it was stupid. But she continued to be on the lookout. Usually, she would be thinking about the heat of his skin seeping in through her nightgown. Or even the way his soft breathing (he never snored, thank god) was like a gentle butterfly fluttering through the soft breeze. But her stomach was too tight and she was to wound up to worry about the little things.
For about an hour, she would tense at the smallest thing – Gale groaning in his sleep, the brush of his fingers against the covers, the sound of a door slamming. She was going stir-crazy! As gently as Madge could, she lifts Gale's sleeping body off of her and slips out of the bed. The floor is cold between her feet, causing her to do a funny little dance as she tucked his sleeping form back into bed, making sure there wasn't an inch of skin showing from the shoulders down. Days and nights have been cold in Capitola, recently, almost bone chilling.
Madge was going on a quest. She was going to track down her father and get to the bottom of this. What was Capitola's soldiers doing to protect them from future attacks? Were they safe? Were their border's protected? Who attacked them and why? She had a million questions that she needed answers too and her father was the one holding all of the cards. Madge hopes this will soothe her, allowing her to actually get some rest and feel safe in her own home again.
She met Thom at the bottom of the stairs. For a reason unknown, she was startled by his presence. It was silly of her to think he would not be at his post. She almost wishes her father would move it back to right outside her door. And that's when Madge realizes – quite to her own despair – that her room was cornered, there was no other escape besides the one stairwell. Her stomach drops and she wrings her hands together, a worry line forming between her eyebrow.
"What is the matter, Princess?" Thom tilts his head over his shoulder, his gray eyes, some much like Gale's except it wasn't Seamlyn gray, connect with hers.
"N-nothing, Thom, where is my father?" He squints his eyes at her. She can see the wheels turning his head like clockwork as he pieces it together. She's afraid. It written in his eyes that he knows, but in true guard fashion, he says nothing.
"He's in his room, Princess. Would you like me to guide you there?" It wasn't like she didn't know where her parents' chamber was. She had been there a thousand times before, especially when she was little. Even Madge knows Thom was silently asking her if she wanted a form of protection with her. She was grateful for him – for Thom – because he always knew what she needed and never made a big deal about it, he was a friend. A really, really good friend.
She glances up the stairwell towards her door where she knows a sleeping, vulnerable Gale is resting. She considers telling Thom no, what if something happened to Gale while they walked the short route to her parent's room? But ultimately she decides Gale can take care of himself and no one is going to attack them this soon.
Thom offers his arm to her and she gladly slips her arm into his. Another guard moved from his post at the one of the many columns lining the walls. He had short cropped sandy blonde hair, big green eyes, and a medium frame. He had laugh lines surrounding his eyes even though he looked the age of Thom and Gale, give or take. He had hard features in his face, his collarbones were prominent against the black of his uniform and his skin was pale. He wasn't bad looking, but he would be something to look out for in battle. Madge could see the intelligence raging behind his eyes.
"Is there someone up there?" he points to the staircase that Madge had just descended, "Should I stand guard."
Before Thom could even move a muscle, Madge was says: "Yes, my fiancé is up there asleep." Vulnerable. The man's soft eyes lit up with understanding. He knew Madge's worry. It made her wonder if he had someone at home waiting for him in the mist of all this chaos. Did he have a family? She smiles generously back him, the weight, she didn't even know she had, lifts off her shoulders and suddenly she feels less queasy.
"Thank you." She whispers before allowing Thom to guide her to her parents' room.
They walked slowly down the screaming red hallway (opposite direction of what they took to escape the rampant army of men earlier) until they got to the alcove that would take her to her parents' room. Thom grabbed one of the torches that were stationed on each side of the entrance way before heading down. He goes first, but he keeps her arm in his. There was a small series of steep steps they had to descend first before they stumble into the tiny hallway. Madge knew there was an entrance to a safe place through here but she didn't know where it was. Someone had shown it to her once, but she had been very small then.
Madge often liked the way her parents' room was so hidden. So secret. The alcove was designed to look like something that would lead down to a servants chamber or maybe even the kitchen instead of a the King and Queen of Capitola's bedroom chambers. Much like Madge's, there was open wooden flooring down here instead of carpet in a dark finish. The further you travel down the hallway the brighter it got, it was designed so that no one would be able to see much, if any, light seeping up the small staircase. Madge's parents' room was at the base of the stairs. Their door was white with a big shiny U on it and you could see tuffs of blue carpet sneaking out from under the door. It wasn't unusual, though, a lot of rooms and doors looked just like this from the outside.
Thom knocks gently on the door. A high singsong voice calls through the door, "Who is it?"
"It is Princess Undersee and Thom."
Madge and Thom could hear movement inside the room. Madge imagines her mother getting up from her vanity and striding across the room in tall, confident strides. The Queen was sick, but you'd never know. Madge wasn't even fairly sure Gale knew about her sickness.
The door opens with a loud couple of snaps of locks and a soft click of the door leaving its frame. The Queen appears in a loose white nightgown that ties at the top. Her feet were bare and half her hair was tangled. Yes, she had been at her vanity as Madge suspected.
"Good morning." She smiles energetically at them. "And what do I owe the pleasure of my beautiful daughter and her favorite guard so earlier in the morning?" she asks, but not unkindly. That's one thing Madge loved about her mother; she was never mad or upset when you came to visit her. Well, unless you're the enemy, of course.
"Is daddy here?" Madge asks. Madge slinks her arms out of Thom's and shoulders her way into the room. She flops of her parents' large bed, her bright golden hair spraying across the pillows in a dramatic fashion.
"He's upstairs. Been there for a while." She says the last part out of the corner of her mouth like she would much rather have her husband here instead of up there. She sighs, "Shall we go see what he's up too? Thom, will you stand guard?" Thom nods and the two ladies head upstairs through the staircase by the bathroom and the vanity. The King and Queen's room was set up with multiple levels. The room they really use was up a couple of flights of stair, above the room they were just in and her father's private meeting room.
"You must be kidding? Please tell me you are kidding?" The girls stop on the staircase to listen. Queen Undersee's arm was blocking Madge's way up the stairs, "No, I'm being quite serious." Another voice said.
Someone, presumably her father, slams their hand on the table in the room loudly. "Seamlyn was attacked too…by the same people?" he says in disbelief.
"I do not know, sir. All I know is the lower section of their country is burning uncontrollably. They have asked for assistance."
"We're spread too thin now; we have everyone on the boarder and around the country now. I don't have anyone to send to help."
"Sir, if I may…" there was a pause where Madge assumes her father nods, "I think you need to send someone or you need to offer refuge. You and I both heard the two Seamlyn natives at the meeting – one who is engaged to your daughter. Seamlyn is mad, very mad, at Capitola and we need to show our support for our alliance. As that Finnick mate said, Seamlyn had been under attack for months now with no sight in end. They can't take much more. Their entire country is falling apart! Their lower sections have been hurt so badly that King Hawthorne is looking for places in the better parts – even at the Castle itself – for places to put citizens. It's chaos there, and despite the fact that we attacked them, they're still in our alliance and they have been the most supportive and helpful in our circle. They've been in our corner without question for years. We need to honor that too. And they need help."
"So what do you suppose we do?" her father sounded tired and old. He was probably hunched over a table, the vein in his forehead popping violently.
"I'm saying we need to protect their people. Seamlyn might be a weak link in our alliance because they're small, financially unstable, and constantly under fire, but they still need help. On the contrary, we can't have Snowland or Roseland conquering that land. We both know if either of them conquer Seamlyn we're in a world of hurt and we might as well surrender ourselves up. Either send help or offer refuge. These people need it."
Madge was hoping for both but she knew her father couldn't do both. It was a hard decision to make. Did Capitola want to enter the war against Seamlyn and protect them or stay as distant and out of the way as much as possible and offer quiet refuge? But even if they did offer refuge, where would they go? They couldn't possibly stay in the castle, at least not now after they have been attacked too. But it worried Madge that the Hawthorne's would run out of space to put everyone. But they also needed someone on their side; someone would at least help put out the horrible fires and try to save part of their country. The longer her father waited, the more Gale's country was diminishing. She wondered if he knew about all this. He must've, he was the future King.
A groan that displayed her father's indecisiveness and the pressures of his job vibrates the air. She watches him come into her view through the doorway; he takes a seat in one of the wooden chairs surrounding the old cherry table. All the while, as she watched his movements, her mind was on a fast track. What would Gale want? What would help Seamlyn the most? Is there any way that they could provide both, even if just for a little while?
Before her mother or her own two feet could say no, she found herself moving up the last couple of steps, "I think you should offer refuge for now, and in a few days' time you should send in a small group of elite military to at least assess the situation at hand."
"What – how long have you been there? Oh it doesn't matter!" he sighs deeply, running his hand over his face slowly as if he could wipe off the strains of these past few days, "Honey, it's not that easy. The less military we have on our grounds, the more open we are for attack."
"Daddy! They've been under attack for months, months! They can't hold their ground much longer! They need our help! The majority of their country is falling apart and all you can say is "it's not that easy!" Dad, we've left them alone long enough to fight this war against them. It' time we show some support."
"They have asked for assistance, Adam. And you and I both know Marcus Hawthorne doesn't like to ask for help." Madge's mother steps into the room, her arms crossed tightly over her chest in anger. People have always told them they felt too much. They were too passionate, but Madge and her mother never cared.
"Millie…"
"Don't Millie me!"
"Like mother, like daughter…" the solider mutters under his breath. King Undersee shoots him a glare, although weak with exhaustion.
"At least do something, Adam, anything for those poor people. You're a good man, Adam; you'll make the right decision for us and for them, but please consider them."
"What if that was us, dad? Wouldn't you want someone to help you?"
The room grew quiet. No one bother to say anything else. Madge knew she should leave this up completely to her father, and a few months ago she would've. But now that she has gotten to know Gale and she has had firsthand experience of the worry that chains Gale awake at night because of it, she cannot find it in herself to be quiet. But she has said her piece and she shall leave it up to her father.
Her mind drifts back to Gale, asleep in her room in the dark. He had hardly said anything to her when he arrived, he was so tired. Then, she had assumed it was because of the long meeting he was in, but now, as she looks back, she can see that his shoulders were tense and he looked worried. War was a little too close to home for Gale.
There was a commotion at the bottom of the stairs. Everyone tenses. The soldier ushers Madge and Millie over to the other side of the table for better protection and makes them crouch down as to not be seen. There was yelling and pounding feet as they voices carried up the stairs louder and louder.
"Sir, you cannot just barge in here!" the voice sounded familiar.
"Gale! Gale! Stop it, will you! You're out of your mind, you're exhausted. Will you – will you just listen to me!" Thom screams. Madge sprints around the table to the doorway, ignoring the calls from the solider. Down a few feet was Gale in the lead with the guard who switched places with Thom and Thom rushing up behind him. Gale wasn't looking at her as he charges up the stairs, skipping every other one with his long strides.
He runs into her before she knew it, both of them toppling to the floor in a tangle of limbs. "I'm so sorry." Gale quickly says after they both groan. Madge pushes him off her playfully. Grinning, a laugh burst out of her.
"What?" he whispers, his own grin mirroring her own.
"I didn't know you were falling for me that hard!" Gale throws his head back and lets out a booming laugh, despite the tension in the room.
Gale leans forward, bracing himself on one hand and reaching for her chin with the other. He tilts her head down and plants a lingering kiss to her lips, "I've already fallen, silly. I love you more than you shall ever know." He whispers the last part so low she sure she's the only one that heard. A deep scarlet blush stains her cheeks. She ducks her head, her hair curtaining around her blushing face. He pushes her hair behind her ear before planting a kiss to her cheek.
He stands up. Stating, "I need to go home immediately." No reason to wait a moment…just jump right in…
Madge's eyes widen. He knows.
She doesn't know why she thought she could hide something as big as a major attack on an ally from him, but she wishes she could've. Looking into his eyes, she didn't like that look. It was a look of lust, lust for blood, not the lust she was used to seeing when their lips got a little too carried away. It scares her a little. She could almost feel the anger rolling off of him in waves. It was quite understandable, but she just wishes he wouldn't be so fierce about it.
"I cannot let you do that." Adam Undersee says. His voice was quiet, but it held an authority like no other. If she didn't know her father, she would be thinking that he had no sympathy for the Seamlyn native, that he was almost happy for the destruction of his country. But looking into her father's eyes, she saw a softness that was usually reserved only for Madge and her mother.
Over the course of the last few months, King Undersee had actually grown fond of the Seamlyn native, and couldn't be happier with his and Hawthorne's choice of Madge's husband. Not only was the marriage aligned to strength the alliance and build up Seamlyn, but it was meant to find a man that would love and cherish his daughter like she was the only sight of water after being in a drought for so long. Adam wanted the best, and only the best, for his one daughter. Eventually, they'd have to work out a ruler for Capitola (whether Madge came home to rule, or something else), but for now he was just happy the suitor was a good man with an excellence heart.
Which only made it worse that the man standing in front of him looked so worried and fierce at the same time. King Undersee can't blame the young man for wanting to go home, but it just wasn't safe for Capitola and Seamlyn to allow him entrance into his birth country.
"And why ever not?" Gale looked appalled. How can they deny him? Did they really hate Seamlyn that much that they can't even allow Gale to go back and at least help? Every fiber of Gale's body wanted to pounce on the man, but he held himself back. It wouldn't look right if he did so, and there was a soldier standing by at ready that wouldn't even let Gale close to the King of Capitola. Why fuel the fire when you can't quench it?
So instead, Gale balls his fist and clenches his jaw so hard he's afraid his teeth will shatter.
"All transportation has been cut off to Seamlyn. Seamlyn has officially closed their boarders as of this morning." Adam tried to relay the information slowly and kindly. He knew the boy would be mad; it's why he didn't tell him the second he knew.
"I'm part of the government, a future King, I can do as I please."
"No, Gale, you cannot."
He narrows his eyes at the older man, his stomach tense with anger and his throat tight, filled with unsaid words of hatred. He was beginning to think Capitola was more of his enemy than his friend.
"Then what are you going to do about? If you will not let me leave, then what are you doing to help them? They need help!" Gale was screaming, his voice raw and his eyes burned with unshed tears. His country was going to ruins and he couldn't do anything about it. God, if he could help everyone in that country, make sure they are as safe as they can be, he would. Instead, he's been messing around with his fiancée and not giving a damn about his country. He knew this was coming, it happens at least once a month, and yet all he could think about, at the time, was Madge. He was stupid, so, so stupid. He wishes he could kick himself.
King Undersee sighs, he's heard the world 'help' way to many times today and he was beginning to grow tired of it. He reaches up and kneads his forehead with his fingers, a headache was approaching and it was only morning.
Gale walks over somberly, great sadness in his heart, and kneels before the man. "King Undersee –"
"Adam…"
"Adam, please…I need to go home. I need to help my people. They cannot do this alone. They're just civilians. You do not need to help us if you do not want, we don't expect –"
The King interrupts his again, "Yes, you do…"
"We won't think anything less of you. But you need to let me go home and try to help them. Keeping me away does nothing but harbor worry and hatred and sadness in my heart. I need this, and if you do not let me, you know I'll find another way." His voice is barely above a whisper. He speaks slowly so the words can seep into the King's head. Adam looks over at Gale, his eyes tired and sad, he shakes head again.
"I cannot take the risk of crossing the border. It is too dangerous for anyone right now. Seamlyn is –"
"A war zone, I know." Gale nods his head angrily, his voice as hard as steel. Madge can see the weighted burden only become heavier as the minutes tick by just by looking at him. It's the first time she realizes just how hard Gale has it. Seamlyn is under attack, which means he is too.
"I can't, I'm sorry." Adam tries. He reaches out for Gale's shoulder to give a supportive squeeze, but Gale shakes it off.
"Yeah, you're sorry…" Gale murmurs sarcastically and gets up slowly and walks back to the door, offering his hand to Madge. "Shall we go back to bed, love?" Because she doesn't know what else to do, she takes his cold hand in hers. He wraps his around hers a little too tight, but she doesn't complain, she can feel his heated energy coursing through him. She knows he just needs time to process it, to accept it.
They are silent as they walk back to Madge's room. They take a detour, though, to the window that Gale and Thom sat at one night only a few days ago, although it feels like years by now. They sit close together, their knees touching, facing each other. Gale rubs his thumb over the back of her hand slowly, lost in thought for a moment. Madge watches him, afraid he'll break at any moment. The pressures of war were prominent in his body structure. She felt bad, but she knew he was safer here, even if he felt like the world was on his shoulders.
"You know I have to leave." He doesn't look up at her when he says this, he just continues to rub his thumb over her hand like this wasn't a big deal.
"You can't –" she gasps.
"I know what your father said, Madge." His voice is tense again and she shrinks back against the wall. He only tugs her closer, their lips almost touching. "I can't just sit here and watch it fall, knowing I could've helped, Madge. It's my country. Why can't any of you understand that?" his voice had risen by the end of it. The only thing she could see was fire in his eyes, it was slowly consuming him.
"Gale, it's not that we don't understand. It's dangerous. You heard my father, Seamlyn closed their borders. That's bad, Gale, when countries close their borders."
"You act as if I don't know that!" he snaps at her, his eyes all fire and ice, not love or hope left in them. It's as if she was looking at a grave yard. Gale laughs a dry laugh, no humor in it at all. "Guess we won't be attacking Snowland, now."
She cocks her head to the side in confusion, her eyebrows colliding together in a furrow, "You were in the first place?"
"Yes, at least scope it out. To help protect us, well you."
"Gale…" she whispers, her hand gently gliding up his arm to his cheek, her thumb pads over his cheekbone lovingly, causing him to look up. His lips part. "Seamlyn will be alright. If I could do anything to help you I would." His eyes are glassy as he lets out a long, tired, winded breath. "I love you." She doesn't know why she added it, but she felt like it was needed, like he needed to hear it.
"I love you." His voice cracks and she immediately draws him closer. He buries his face in her shoulder, her hands instantly clutching his hair. The burden on his shoulders has finally become too heavy for him to carry on his own. "Madge, I'm scared. For my family, for my people, for my country. Madge, I need to go home. I need your help to get me there." He sounded eager.
Madge's eyes widen at his implication. And now she knows why he took her here, to the alcove window, because no guards are stationed here. It's peaceful and quiet and isolated. No one would hear them…
"I – I…"
"Madge, please, for me."
"I – It dangerous!" Her own tears well up in behind her eyes, "Gale…no."
"Madge."
"I…I…Gale," she's shaking her head back and forth violently. Why doesn't he see how dangerous this is? Why doesn't he see how much this scares her?
"You know I'll go with or without your help."
She closes her eyes, hating herself the decision she's about to make. "Okay, fine." It's not like she was going to convince he to stay anyways. A brilliant smile cross from both corners of his face, his white teeth gleaming in the dark lighting of the alcove.
"We leave tonight." He says before pulling away from her completely and getting up, offering his hand to her once again. She takes it with a heavy heart.
They walk back to her room, crawling into bed so Gale can get a few more hours of sleep before they start planning.
…
"You," King Undersee motions to the soldier still standing in the meeting room. He glances over at his wife, his beautiful wife. She had her lips thinned out into a thin line, he knew that she knew she wasn't going to like what he said next. "Watch him, watch the boy."
The soldier and the King stare at each other, hard. There was no confusion on the task at hand. That boy would not leave this castle. At least not while King Undersee still had air in his chest and a beat to his heart.
…
Gale's pacing the room while Madge has a map of all the territories spread across her lap. She had red ink out and was marking up different paths they could take the sneak out the country and into Seamlyn's without military persona knowing. With Gale's advance knowledge of the military and (with help from the meeting last night) the placement of soldiers; they were slowly making progress on an escape route.
It was decided that Madge would go with him. They both knew she would worry too much here and vice versa, that it would just be stupid to leave her here. Although it made their plan harder, he was glad she was going. He had grown used to having her at his side for moral support. He hated to put her in the line of fire, but he couldn't leave her here either.
"We go East at first and then cut now Southeast to avoid border patrol." She offers.
"No, that wouldn't work. We have to go through the woods, there's no other way. It's just the question of how do we get there without being seen."
"I could call Cinna and Portia to make us costumes to blend in with the citizens."
"Who?"
"It doesn't matter. Would it work?"
He considers the idea, "It might." He says slowly. Gale stops pacing for a moment; he turns to look at the beautiful girl wrapped in silks on her bed, her hair messy from stress. He takes in her complexion, the bags under her eyes show how exhausting this process is, but he could see it in her eyes that she was willing to help in any way she could. God, he loved this girl more than he should. She would be the death of him, he was sure of it. He just hopes she won't get him kill tonight.
She pats the bed beside her, "Come, I think we need a break." She lets out a big yawn. He sinks into the bed and lays back, staring at the ceiling. She pushes her fingers through his soft hair and watches as his eyes close shut. She continues this for a few moments, taking in the man that has a big heart, but not enough time to save the world. She didn't even know it was possible to love someone this much, but man if she could describe it, it would be explosive and magically and all out magnificent. She wondered if he knew just how much her heart swelled with love and pride the second he walks into any room.
But still, no matter how much she loved and trusted him, it didn't stop her from worrying. What would happen to them once they reach Seamlyn?
Once they had their plan devised, they curled up in bed together under the toasty covers, their arms wound safely and securely around one another. They were going to enjoy their last few hours of silence, of peace. This was only the calm before the storm, because, certainly, once they hit the Seamlyn border it was going to be chaos; maybe even before they hit the Seamlyn/Capitola border. They both just hope their plan works. It has to work this time, they will not be given another chance.
Gale was slowly tracing lax patterns on Madge's hipbone, while her fingers played with the curled edges of his hair. Neither one of them spoke, they didn't need too. No words needed to be passed between them for them both to understand what the other was feeling. Fear…excitement…worry…rebellion…love…hope…doubt…
Words would only ruin the moment, the silence that they would not be seeing or hearing again for a long time. Gale did not know how long they would be in Seamlyn, or even if they would make it to Seamlyn, but he knows, deep down in his heart, he doesn't want to see it, but he can't miss his chance. He knows the silence he finds there won't be silent, it will be filled with echoes of sorrow and lost and desperation.
Madge quirks an eyebrow at him, silently asking him what was wrong. He just shrugs. His eyes flicker over every feature of her face; she can only believe he is trying to memorize every last dip and bend of her face. She just wishes it wasn't because there was a chance they could be separated or worse yet, dead.
His squeezes her hipbone before pulling her towards him, his arms encircle her entire body while he crushes her to chest. He lets out a shaky breath, his nose nudging into her hair, smelling the fresh scent. Upon hearing his shaky breath, she only squishes him even closer, if that's possible. She can feel the tension and anxiety rolling off of him in waves as big as the ocean outside her window. She knows he must be scared, she knows she is.
Still, no one breaks the precious silence.
The darken room is peaceful, leaving them to their own thoughts about tonight and the events that have taken place in the last 48 hours. It's been a battle, that's for sure. So many things have been happening in such little time, Madge is surprised she is still standing upright after all of it. Not only that, but she's beginning to uncover just what exactly is happening in Seamlyn, something she's only heard about. She never even realized just how bad it was.
The raging wars and battles have all been passed around. But under all that is a country slowly being destroyed by so many things and yet it still stands. Everyone has been covering up the real story, they're only reporting on the attacks at surface level. If she and her mother never stopped to listen in the stairwell, Madge still would never have known just how bad it was. Even Gale was hiding the hideous reality that was Seamlyn's. And Madge couldn't help but that was unfair.
Here was man that put so much time and love and effort into trying to support Seamlyn and show that he was ready to rule, and yet the world just kept beating down on him and the country. No wonder he was stressed constantly. He was inheriting a country that was hardly standing and was losing so much ground by the day, by the seconds.
Gale was the first one to break the silence, "Do you think we should tell Thom? About our plan? Just in case something happens to one of us, so someone knows." He whispers into her hair, his hot breath scanning her scalp. She shrugs, not bothering to open her mouth. "I don't want anything to happen to you." He whispers.
"Nothing will, I can take care of myself, Gale."
"I know, but it doesn't make me worry any less." He nudges his nose down her head to her forehead, his breath fanning across the bridge of her nose. "I love you, you know that."
"You never stop telling me so." She tries to joke, but Gale doesn't even attempt to laugh. The situation is too heavy to laugh at such a simple joke, especially when you never know when the last time you'll say that to a person. Gale just wants Madge to know that he loves her; even in his dying breath he will love her forever.
…
Madge acts like nothing is going on at dinner. She continues to converse like they aren't hiding something, like they aren't going to go against the King of Capitola. Gale, on the other hand, is having a little trouble acting normal. He wasn't big for lying and he felt uneasy lying to the man and woman that would soon be his in-laws.
Every time Madge was sure Gale was about to slip or that he looked a little nervous, she would gently squeeze his hand to remind him that they had a plan and they plan needed to stay between them. She notices the way Gale's eyes linger on Thom, his eyes would follow Thom as he made his rounds around the dining room. Madge didn't know what happened that brought Thom and Gale together, but it was clearly stronger than what she originally thought.
She leans towards him, her lips hot on his ear, "I know you what to tell Thom, but I don't think it would be a wise choice. He is loyal to my father before anything else, Gale." She leaves a sweet kiss to the sensitive skin just below his ear when she catches her father's eyes lingering on them. She kisses his jaw and chin, as well, for good measure.
She kicks him under the table, which Gale has learned means that Adam was watching them. He, too, leans into her, his head tilt so his forehead is almost touching her nose, "I agree, but I can't shake the feeling that he could help us." They both pull back and smile at each other lovingly until Adam looks away.
"I –"
"I know, not wise, but…it's just…I don't know. It's fleeting, but I still sense it."
She can sense that Gale is still nervous about her getting hurt, but they just can't risk it, "I'll be okay, Gale. We both will." He nods, "We should probably get back to eating."
They didn't talk the rest of dinner, both lost in their own thoughts, their hands entwined together underneath the table. No one would notice, but their knuckles were white from lack of blood.
After dinner, Madge goes to have tea with her parents while Gale excuses himself, saying he doesn't feel well and was going to go lie down. Gale feels fine, Madge knows this. But what she doesn't know is that Gale had other plans…plans that involve Thom.
He finds Thom the halls on his break. Thom had his arms folding behind his back and was sauntering down the hallway at a slow pace, not a care in the world. If he hears Gale coming down the hall, he doens't show it. Gale moves slowly towards the other man so he doens't draw attention to himself.
"Hey, hey, hey…" he grabs Thom's arm as he whispers. Thom's free arm instantly moves towards the sword resting on his hip, his eyes slightly widen. When he notices that it's just Gale, he eases his stance and his hand falls back to his side.
"Oh, Gale." His smile is friendly and light. He looks like he's ready to sit down and have a conversation about tea or useless politics, definitely not what Gale was about to tell him. Gale eyes the other soldier on duty, everyone seems to be nonchalant, but Gale knew their ears were perked. "How are you?" Gale doesn't answer; he just continues to look at every guard in the room. Thom's smile falters, "What –"
"Can I talk to you?" he whispers lowly, Thom nods, "Meet me at the window in five minutes, okay."
"Yeah, okay, but we should walk together slowly; we don't need them running to Undersee just because we're being secretive." It was like he already knew. Gale nods. They talk about Seamlyn as they walk. About the seasons (which was hard to enjoy when the wars keep ruining them) and the culture and the many types of people you would meet there. Thom even admits he wants to visit Seamlyn. Gale jokes he might just see it soon. It was heavy, but true.
They descend the small set up steps down into the alcove. Gale seems to spending a lot of time here lately. They sit in the darkest corner, just out of sight of the moonlight.
"You're leaving aren't you?" he doesn't even give Gale time to answer before he continues, "God damn it, Gale, I knew it. I haven't said anything to Undersee, but what about Madge? Have you told her?"
"The thing is, Thom…she's going with me." Thom's whole body awakens at that, his whole body becoming stiff.
"Are you crazy? You can't take Madge with you! That's like asking for your head to be chopped off in the square!"
Gale huffs, anger rising in his throat, he doesn't have much time to tell Thom this and he was only wasting it. "Will you just listen, look…I wanted to tell you because I need to know that someone could help us if one of us gets hurts."
"So you're asking me? Gale! I'm the King's daughter's guard, don't you realize I have to tell the King about this!" Gale's hands are in the air in frustration before he even realizes it. Anger is boiling in his stomach now and his vision is becoming a hazy red color.
"Don't! I have to do this!"
Thom cuts Gale off, "Then leave Madge out of it!"
He turns away from the guard to breathe a few times, collecting himself. When he turns back Thom can see the fury flaring in Gale's eyes. Thom glances at the two exit points, wondering if he should sit here for the rest of it or he should just go tell the King now.
Gale's hand in on his arm, "Thom, please. Please don't tell anyone."
Thom's eyes closed, this was just too much for him. There was just too much at stake. But he liked Gale and he thought Gale should be allowed to go home. He wanted to help, but he knew he couldn't. Thom's family needed Thom to have this job, if he were to be caught lying it would all be over.
"Please." Gale begs again, "For Madge."
"We are already doing too much 'for Madge,' Gale, I don't think we can do much more." He was trying to lighten the mood, but he was also looking for a way to get out this.
"Please." That was the only word Gale can say anymore.
After a long pause, "Fine, what do you need me to do." And so Gale spills out his plan – the route, the time they were leaving, the distraction, everything. Thom listens intently, especially at the part that he was needed to most so Madge and Gale could get out of the castle undetected.
"Go out the East door at 11. No later, no sooner. You're secret is safe with me." Gale doesn't know what comes over him, but he pulls Thom into a bone crushing hug for a long time.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Thom pats him on the back. "Yeah, well, just be careful, now. You understand me?"
"Yeah, mate, I understand."
"Protect her." Thom's voice is hard.
"I promise." They pat each other on the back before heading they own ways.
…
"Ready?" Madge nods at her fiancé. She was wearing a pair of forest green pants under her poufy, navy blue dress. In between the two layers she had a weapons belt with knives and arrows hanging from it. Don't even get her starting on what she had stored between her breasts, more things than she'd like to admit, but no one would suspect a thing there. Gale had Thom store backpacks outside the castle in the bushes, so that was good. Gale has a big jacket on with a bow slung across his chest under a sweater. He has knives hidden in his waistband, too.
Gale crosses the room to Madge, her hands are shaking. Gale has seen war a million times, but this is all new to Madge. He comes within inches of her. He takes her hands in his and tangles their fingers together and kisses her forehead lovingly. He tries to transfer every ounce of bravery and strength in him to her. His nose glides down her forehead, stopping at her temple.
"It's not too late to back out." She shakes her head no, she brings up their hands to level out at their chest, "You don't have to come, it's safer you here, anyways."
"No," she breathes out, "I will always be safer with you." She says. And despite trying to withhold his smile, it slips onto his face anyways.
"Alright, let's go." He says after a few minutes.
They sneak throughout the castle without any trouble, Thom did a great job. The first obstacle appears once they got outside the castle when a guard asks them what they were doing. They were lucky they haven't bent down to retrieve their backpacks from the bush. Thom appears as if out of thin air and waved the man off, telling the other man that he would watch them. Without question, the guard leaves and Thom follows them to make sure they made it out safely.
Once they reach the woods, Thom hugs them both tightly before letting them slip into the blackness of the forest. He doesn't linger by the woods; instead he goes back almost immediately towards the caste. His heart was pounding.
They mostly endure the forest without many complications. Madge ditches the dress in a hollow tree and Gale pulls out a jacket out of the backpack strapped across his chest. They only run into a few people while they move forward on their path. And luckily, they are able to hide from them. Only one person sees them, but they didn't stop or question anything.
They are slowly approaching the wall dividing the two countries, when they stop. Their clasps hands tighten around one another, they turn to look at one another. Gale was the first to begin climbing the wall.
It was now or never.
A/N: So what did you think about Part 5? So sorry it took me forever and there's not a lot of Gadge, but it needed to happen. Hope you're enjoying this so far!
Shout outs: KatnissEverdeen77 and deab for the comment/follows/favorite!
