A/N: WOW! Y'all, I'm so terribly sorry for the long wait for this chapter! I did not mean to leave it on a cliffhanger for like, ever! School got really busy, and then my computer stopped working! And I didn't have a copy of this on my thumb drive so I had to wait until I had gotten a new laptop, which I did! (Thank you, Dad!) And I just got this laptop back today from my neighbor who was putting my files from my old hard drive unto this one. And now here we are... I'm sorry, y'all. Forgive me?

When she came around next Quinn didn't know which way was up or down. Her head was pounding and all she wanted to do was crawl into a hole and die, just so the pounding in her head would cease. She knew she was in a dark place; she didn't need to open her eyes to see that. Keeping her eyes closed she tried to remember what happened before she woke up here. She remembered Mike and Will, telling Will everything that she's been through the past month, crying in his arms, but what else happened? She couldn't remember.

Then it struck her: Rachel. Rachel came and saw her, she was made that Quinn had only left that note with little explanation. Rachel had kissed her and despite knowing the consequences she had kissed her back. And then she was knocked unconscious, landing her in this place, with shackles weighing down on her wrists. And she knew… she knew the King's Men must've followed Rachel into town again with given orders from the King. Regardless of her position though, her thoughts went to a certain brunette. Wondering if she was alright and where she was now.

Placing her elbows on her knees then resting her head in her hands, she shook her head. She was stupid enough to believe that they actually had a chance at a normal life together. Rachel's the fucking princess after all. And who was she? A nobody, a blacksmith with no family? No, all she is an orphan girl. What right did she have to even look at her the way she did?

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the metal creaking of the door. Lifting her head up she tried to block the blinding sun from attacking her eyes, but it was a wasted attempt. Two pairs of footsteps walked in and grabbed her arms forcing her up and to her feet. They then led her outside where she saw Leroy, the King, Prince Finn, and behind them a worrisome Rachel standing with Santana, who was trying her best to stay strong. Around them was a crowd wanting to witness what was about to happen, because it must be important for the King, himself, to be present.

The two guards forced her down to her knees before Hiram and held her there to prevent any escape. Clenching her jaw to keep herself from begging, she tilted her head up and squinted her eyes from the harsh sunlight that was shining down upon them. Stepping forward, Hiram spoke, "I don't know what to do with you, girl. You hold yourself with such pride and grace, and yet you don't heed to warnings. I thought you were smarter than that when we met. Perhaps I was wrong, and you were just stupid? No, not stupid but in love. With my daughter, nonetheless." There was a small gasp through the crowd, but he ignored it and continued, "You will never have her, girl. She is in love with my future son-in-law and ruler of this kingdom." Quinn snapped her eyes over to the silently crying brunette, who was being consoled by Santana.

Santana stared into Quinn's fierce green eyes and shook her head. The King then continued, "It is a crime what you two have engaged in and I will not have it any longer. Now what have you to say about this matter?"

Taking a deep breath, Quinn straightened her back and stared into his brown eyes and said, "It's not a crime to love; it's not a crime to be loved in return. I will never stop loving Rachel no matter what happens to me. Love isn't something that can be demolished in a snap of a finger, it can last forever. So do what you want to me, but you'll never get me to stop loving her the way I do. And I apologize, but you know she doesn't love the Prince because if she did, then we wouldn't be here in the first place."

"Then I guess you understand why I'm about to do what's necessary for the both of you."

He nodded to an unseen guard who grabbed her from behind and hoisted her up to her feet. While being manhandled by Ron, if she remembered correctly, her eyes drifted to a pair of frightened brown eyes. She tried her best to reassure the girl but she could only do so much with a soft smile and completely honest eyes. Her eyes shifted over to Santana and the handmaiden looked like she understood what she was trying so desperately to convey to her. Giving the blonde a sad smile, she nodded then took a struggling princess away from the scene. Quinn smiled successfully to herself as she watched Rachel being taken away from the scene.

She was thrown back into reality when the chains were removed from her wrists and her hands were instead thrown into a pair of rope that was hanging down from a wooden panel in the middle of a courtyard just outside of town. Of course Quinn knew what was coming, the King wasn't known for breaking his promises. Sighing she looked up and met the King's brown eyes, shaking her head she said, "Get on with it then, Your Majesty. Fulfill your word; it's not going to change anything about how I feel about your daughter."

He didn't say anything, he only gave a slight nod to Ron who was behind her his hands twisting the whip in his hands. She tensed her muscles and clenched her jaw, and then she felt the sharp stinging of the whip as it cracked harshly against her back. Tears welled up in her eyes as Ron continued to bring the whip down mercilessly. By the fifth strike, she felt her linen shirt rip and the stickiness from the warm, crimson blood pooling from the open wound in her back.

The whipping continued for several more strikes and Quinn had successfully managed to hold back her cries as each strike sliced through her skin. Her green eyes landed on Leroy's pained face and his concerned eyes. Leroy then whispered something into Hiram's ear and then he signaled for Ron to stop. Catching her breath, Quinn stared down at the dirt dotted with her blood. "Release her," Leroy ordered and before she knew it, her wrists were being cut free and she fell into a heap on the ground.

Leroy looked over at Mike and communicated silently with him to ask for his help. Nodding in agreement, Mike and Leroy walked over to the blonde and helped her up to her feet. "The show is over! Go about your business," Leroy called over the semi-large crowd. He and Mike then carried her back to her house and gently laid her down on her stomach, and then Mike quickly got a basin full of hot water along with the cleanest towels he could find.

Will entered the house then and asked, "Where is she?" Leroy scooted out of the way so Will could see the girl he raised lying helplessly on the bed. "Fuck. What the hell happened to her?"

"The King found out about Quinn's and the Princess' relationship. William Schuester, I'm sorry we have to meet under these given circumstances," Leroy replied as they shook hands.

"I know who you are, Leroy. Quinn told me all about you when she came home. Thank you for doing your best at looking after her for me while she was away." Will then made his way over to the bed and knelt down beside the girl who owned his heart the moment he found her wondering the street looking for scrapes of food. Shaking his head he reached out and took her hand into his right hand and with his left moved Quinn's sweaty blonde locks out of her face. Sighing, Will continued to run his fingers through hair as he whispered between them, "I'm so sorry, baby girl. I'm so sorry I wasn't there when you needed me. I'm so sorry, Quinn."

Quinn released a soft groan when Leroy pressed one of the hot towels against her torn skin. "I know, sweetie, I know. Just stay still, he has to clean your wounds. Just cling unto my hand, alright?" She nodded and Leroy continued to clean her battered back.

Opening her eyes, Quinn stared into Will's hazel eyes and said with all the strength she could muster up, "I'm sorry, Will. I-I didn't mean for this to happen…"

"Shh, it's alright honey; everything is going to be alright. You just rest now."

Quinn nodded then drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.

A/N: I know this chapter was short, but at least it's something right? I'll try to make the next one longer. Thoughts? Review!