Chapter Fourteen:

Because I'm Chuck Bass

Whitehall Palace, London

Chuck tried his best to sit up in bed, but the stinging feeling in his chest and back had increased immensely. It felt as if every time he took a breath a pain inside him throbbed, causing all his muscles to further tense and tighten. The doctor tended to him as quickly as he could, whilst muttering things to himself too incoherently for Chuck to make out. Honestly though, he didn't care what he was saying; only that whatever needed be done to fix him—be done. His father had left for the throne room, to discuss things in privately with some of their men. Chuck didn't doubt that it had to do with information obtained about whom had done this. Whoever it was, they wouldn't be getting away with it. That was for damn sure.

Suddenly his chamber's door burst open and his dark orbs lifted to see if his father had returned. But it wasn't his father; it was her, Blair. She had come into the room in a tizzy, but had frozen at the end of his bed. Her doe brown eyes stared at him wider than they ever had before, her brow furrowed in fear and confusion. She parted her beautiful lips as if to say something, but then faltered and pursed them instead.

"Chuck." Finally she spoke.

"Blair," he breathed, his voice hoarse in his attempt to hide his discomfort. Shortly after he winced, baring his teeth some, and breaking eye contact with her for a moment.

"I have no reason to pry into his highness's personal affairs, but the prince must rest tonight. In fact, he should rest… erm, alone for at least another six weeks time," the doctor began to blubber on nervously, neither Chuck or Blair even initially realizing who he was speaking to. It was only when Blair averted her gaze to his physician that Chuck's mind caught up with the situation and he turned to the old man himself.

"Six weeks? I thought you said I wasn't shot, that I was lucky?" Chuck spat, irritation coming to him much quicker than usual in his current state.

The doctor looked directly at the young prince, stepping back nervously and adjusting his glasses as he stuttered.

"Tis true you were not shot your highness, which I would call lucky considering the bullet meant for you killed your horse instead. However, you still fell quite forcefully from the animal, and the stone that broke your fall didn't do you any favors. Not only will the open wound on your back needed to be tended to daily, and watched closely for infection… but you broke a rib, from what I can gather. You will need daily medicines, quite more rest than you're accustomed to, and restricting all activity that affects your breathing. Lung infections are common after an injury like this, and that, your highness, is something you do NOT want." The doctor inhaled deeply at the end of his lecturing, biting his lip. The old man was obviously hoping the young prince didn't lash out at him in response. Chuck was silent though. He merely stared at the man, as if expecting an alternative diagnosis.

After a few moments, the silence in the room was broken.

"Perhaps I should leave and let his highness rest for the night?" Blair asked, looking more so to the doctor than Chuck. Before the doctor could utter a word in response though, another voice bellowed throughout the room.

"You will do no such thing unless I command it! In fact, unless I am in need of more bandaging or medicine, I think it is time for the royal physician to retire for the evening. I will not find comfort in his presence!" Chuck's black eyes burned into the doctor's back. The other man barely turned to look at him in response.

"Of-of course, your highness. I'm sure the erm—lady will be of assistance to you. Please send your servants to my quarters should you need anything else." With that he brushed past Blair quickly, slipping silently through the door without another glance at either of them. Blair stared at the door he had gone out, even as she felt Chuck's eyes upon her. She could tell he was annoyed, in pain, and he was letting his temper get the best of him.

"Look at me," he growled.

Blair's eyes met his. She gasped aloud, now getting a better look at him in the candlelight. She took a few steps forward, but stopped again before she reached his bedside. She hesitated. He looked so much weaker there in the bed, wrapped up in bandages. His skin, now covered in bruises, seemed paler somehow. She had thought the idea of a man appearing before her, in a weaker state than she, would make her feel empowered, but it didn't. The current image of him scared her, and she was doing all she could not to make that innately obvious. But she was failing.

"Wh—what happened?" Blair asked, though it came out in a tremble. She put her hand to her mouth, her eyes falling in shame. She did not want Chuck to see her appear so weak in his time of need.

Chuck stared back at her in confusion, not answering her. He was too busy trying to decipher the sight in front of him. Blair was scared, visibly shaken, and it was the first time he had seen her like this. Suddenly she seemed more child-like, standing before him like a little girl who'd had a nightmare. Did him being hurt really frighten and affect her so? It would definitely appear so. He felt his demeanor soften and he sighed.

"Please come here, Blair. You needn't be frightened of me."

Blair shook her head, finally advancing towards him. "I'm not scared of you, Chuck. I—I ran here as fast as I could." Her voice quickened with each word, her breathing along with it, as she fell at his side.

"I didn't wait around long enough to get any information, other than that someone had hurt you. Your servant Humphrey couldn't keep up with me."

"Of course you did, pretty." He smirked at her, his hand reaching out and taking hers. He pulled her upwards, not with force, but rather just a tugging indication that he wanted her to rise. "Get up off the floor. You'll dirty your pretty robe. Didn't I give you that?"

She smiled, her laughter sounding with relief.

"Yes." Her eyes watered some and she looked away in shame.

Chuck's eyebrows rose at the notion of this, he felt something flutter, something deep down in his stomach, below his broken ribs. He reached his hand up and gently touched her chin, turning her face so that she was once more locked in his gaze.

"Waldorf, are those tears for me?" he was teasing her now. Her left eyebrow peaked, and he could tell she was fighting off a smile.

"Chuck, now is not the time for jokes. You still haven't told me what happened. The royal physician said someone killed your horse, which means they were trying to kill you. Who was it? Have they caught them? Why—"

She was silenced just as her panic had begun to escalate by Chuck's finger touching to her lips. He nodded towards the other side of the bed.

"Don't get yourself all worked up, Blair. You heard the doctor; I can't help relieve you of any of it tonight. I will explain what needs to be explained after you sit. I can't get comfortable until you do." Out of habit he was ordering her now, but he was getting tired and whatever medicine the doctor had given him was starting to make him feel drowsy.

Blair walked around his large bed and sat down on the other side, her back to him.

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Blair, remove your robe, your shoes, and get into bed. There was an attempted royal assassination tonight, and said criminal has yet to be apprehended. Do you honestly believe I'd have you sleep anywhere tonight, other than beside me?"

Blair slipped off her shoes, undid her robe, and slid under the covers. She turned her body into his and stared up at him solemnly.

"So they haven't caught him?"

He shook his head, then pressing his forehead to hers.

"No," he breathed. "But you needn't worry about that. Whoever it was that attempted such a sloppy assassination on me will surely be caught in his attempt to flee London, and well—I'll spare you what gory details shall follow."

She sat up in bed, touching her hands to his chest. "You don't have to. It can't be worse than what I would have done to them, were it my decision. I would want it to be slow."

A dark, menacing fire burned in her eyes that he hadn't seen before. He was both taken aback by it, and drawn in all at once. Perhaps she was even more like him than he'd previously assessed. Could it be possible?

"Chuck, I'm sorry. Did I speak out of turn?" She sounded child-like once more; clearly worried she'd upset him.

"Do not be sorry. I am just surprised by your hunger for vengeance, is all. I'm not sure I should encourage such traits in you, but I think I will. Still, I don't know that I'd want your beautiful little mind tainted with thoughts of torture. You're too pure for it." He tucked a mahogany colored curl behind her ear, speaking sweetly to her now.

"Am I still, how you say, pure?" It was her turn to tease him. "I thought you'd changed that?"

He shook his head, frowning. "That didn't make you any less pure, it just made you mine. And as long as you never lie with another man, neither of those things will change," Chuck proclaimed. And yes, it definitely was somewhat of an order. Then before she could say anything about Thomas or her engagement, he spoke again. "Now help me lie down on my back, you'll have to embrace me tonight."

Blair complied, sensing how tired he was becoming. She didn't want him getting irritable again. They were having a rather nice moment, despite the circumstances of the evening. They lied there in silence for a moment, her stroking his chest, him stroking her curls. He turned his head as best he could and kissed her forehead. She looked up at him in response, both taken back and touched by the tender gesture.

"Go to sleep, pretty. I won't let anything happen to you," he promised.

"To me? You're the one who was hurt tonight." She yawned, her eyes batting lazily. "I don't know what I'd have done if something had happened to you. I'm not sure—"

"Blair—" he sighed. He could tell she was half asleep now. Surely she was panicking again, speaking nonsense.

"Chuck, what do you think would happen to me if something happened to you?"

The question caught him off guard. What would happen to her? He felt something different in the pit of his stomach; ideas came to him that made him sick. Blair's reputation wasn't exactly good in the English court, mostly thanks to him. Thomas was honorable and would possibly still marry her, but that thought sickened him more than most. But what if worse could befall her? Without him her status wasn't enough to protect her.

"Chuck?" Her tired sounding voice broke his thoughts.

He turned to her, furrowing his brow, and then pushing his lips to hers in a rather passionate kiss. So much so that once they did break apart it hurt quite a bit to breathe. The doctor wasn't kidding apparently.

"Go to sleep, pretty. We have about six weeks to talk about whatever you wish. But for now, please, go to sleep." He wasn't ordering her this time, but rather pleading in a way. She nodded slowly, then burying her face into the side of his chest. He stared at the ceiling for a little while, wondering if these new worries would let him get any rest. Finally he closed his eyes, pulling Blair as close to him as his injuries would permit. She was here for now, and she was safe… as long as he was.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

When the dawn came Blair had awoken from Chuck's bed, having had the most horrific of nightmares. Well, perhaps not the most horrific of nightmares she'd ever had. But it had been a while since she'd had one of those blood-curdling dreams that'd consumed her for so long back in France. She closed her eyes for a moment, steadying her breathing so that she didn't wake Chuck. Her eyes fluttered to him as she slowly lifted herself from his bed. She could see his bruises, cuts, and bandages much more clearly in the light. He looked as if he'd taken a beating. That wasn't what had happened though. No, someone had tried to kill him, but who?

She backed away from his bed, stopping when she felt warmth coming from the fire. Blair turned around to face it, furrowing her brow. How was it still going? Surely, Chuck hadn't tended to it all night. Perhaps the servants had somehow silently slipped in all throughout the evening, but Chuck usually forbade them from entering when she slept with him. The more servants who saw her, the quicker things would get around. No matter how many threats he made, the English court would carry on with its whispers.

Blair shook her head. She needed to be more cautious going further. Chuck could protect her against everyone except the king, but he couldn't save her from anyone or anything had he been killed. Perhaps Sir Draven had a point when they spoke. She scoffed at the thought once she'd had it. Blair Waldorf didn't flee. Her eyes averted back to Chuck. And somehow she imagined Chuck wouldn't take kindly to her attempting to.

Still though, morning had arrived. She was sure the royal physician would be in any moment, and perhaps even the king. Chuck wasn't awake yet, but frankly she didn't want to have to argue with him about her leaving. She lifted her robe from the foot of the bed, draping it over, concealing her identity. She could check on him later. He would likely summon for her once everyone had been in and out for the day. Giving him one more look, she sighed in relief that he was okay. He was alive. Blair smiled to herself and exited the room as quietly as she could.

When Blair arrived back to her room she found herself still rather tired after a night full of hazy terrors. So she had her servants start a fire to warm the room, took a rather soothing hot bath, and found herself back in her bed soon after. Wrapped up in her fur blankets, curtains drawn, the room only dimly lit by the fire, she felt alas relaxed. It wasn't that she felt safer in her room than Chuck's, but only here she could hide from most burdens of the world. Lately, her mind had been consumed by so, so many different thoughts. She rolled over on her stomach, breathing in the clean smell of her feather pillows. It was then she realized she hadn't even put on a dressing gown, but she didn't care. She had no prior engagements scheduled for the day, and would claim sickness if bothered by anyone other than Chuck. No, for now she could rest for as long as she wanted—and it was exactly what she wanted. It wasn't long before she had fallen back asleep.

"Get up," an angry voice seethed.

Blair frowned; slowly coming out of her sleepy state, not sure how long she'd been out. Wait, had she heard someone say something? She opened her eyes, blinking them a few times as her vision came to. Still lying on her stomach, her cheek turned on the pillow. Her view wasn't the best, but there was no missing it. She gasped, eyes widening at the sight of an unknown man in her bedroom. It was then she realized she had kicked her covers down in the night, and that her bottom was revealed to the room.

"He said get up, Lady Blair," another voice sounded from across the room.

She jumped some, clutching the blankets and pulling them tightly around her. She looked back and forth at both men, slowly realizing they were royal guards.

"Why—why are you in my chambers? I—I am not decent," she stuttered. What were they doing here? Chuck never sent his guards to collect her in such a manner. He didn't even like when other men looked upon her whilst she was in clothes, let alone in the nude. Her eyes widened and she gulped. Perhaps someone else had sent them.

"We will not ask you to get up again, Lady Blair. Rise and cover yourself. We are to take you to the prince's chambers at once, and we were advised not to let anything delay us." The one closer to the bed spoke to her again, much unkinder than the other. His eyes overlooked her, now seemingly aggravated the blankets were shielding his view.

Blair was about to refute when that same man slid his hand to the handle of his sword. He didn't pull it out, but he was threatening her. She looked to the other man with desperate eyes, but his only fell to the floor in response.

"Please, Lady Blair. You must come with us at once." She imagined it was all he was going to say.

She turned back to the man who stood beside her bed, waiting for him to look away as well.

"I will come with you," she agreed.

"Then get up," he responded. He tossed her robe at her, smirking in an amused way when part of it hit her in the face.

Blair glared at him, holding one of the smaller blankets even tighter around her. She rose from the bed as the crude man watched her, carefully wrapping the robe around her before letting the blanket drop to the floor.

"Will you not leave and let me dress first?" she asked, raising her left eyebrow.

"No, my lady. We will not." He then grabbed hold of her arm, pulling her towards the door as the other one opened it.

She felt a sense of panic arise in her and gasped at his roughness. "What—what are you doing? You have no right handling me like this, you—"

"Save your words, Lady Blair. This is how we handle those in your current position. Just consider yourself lucky we're taking you to the prince's bedchambers and not elsewhere-for now at least," he smirked at her, pulling her down a private corridor.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Blair was brought, or rather yanked, to Chuck's chambers door and pushed inside. The guards did not follow her, but instead slammed the door shut behind her. She heard it lock and stumbled away from it, noting the room to be rather dark. The curtains were drawn and the only light was the dim light of the fire, which did little to properly light a room as large as Chuck's. She closed her eyes, trying to catch her breath, and rid her body of the fear she felt. She was in Chuck's chambers now. Surely, whatever it was it would bring her no further harm. And that awful guard—she'd be sure to tell Chuck about him and his rough handling of her. The man would be lucky if he wasn't executed—

"Why were you conversing in private yesterday with my cousin?"

Blair's back stiffened at the sound of Chuck's incensed sounding voice. She hadn't even realized in all the commotion that he was in the room when she entered it. Slowly she turned around, seeing him perched up on his bed, glaring at her from the shadows.

"With who?" she asked, overwhelmed by the entire ordeal now.

He pursed his lips, obviously not satisfied with her response. Then he sat up further in the bed, swinging his legs over the side of it with a wince. He recovered quickly though, rising from it, and advancing towards her slowly—dangerously. He shook his head at her.

"Don't play the little fool with me, Blair. It isn't believable, but rather suspicious in your current predicament. Now answer me before I get really angry with you." His voice rose, but he wasn't yelling at her—yet. "Why were you speaking with my cousin yesterday? I thought I'd made my feelings on the matter pretty clear when you met the little bastard the other day," he spat.

Blair shook her head at him in disbelief. She wasn't quite sure what was going on, but she'd never seen Chuck so enraged before. She could tell he was holding back all he could to not yell at her. Her eyes fell to his fists clenched at his sides. He wanted an answer. She needed to speak. So she did.

"It wasn't anything serious or scandalous, Chuck. Sir Draven approached me. I wasn't sure if it was within my ranking or not to refuse a conversation with him," she explained, though still not really understanding why any of this mattered. Sure, Chuck was a jealous man, but there was definitely a more pressing, and important matter at hand.

Chuck took a few more slow, yet guarded steps towards her. His eyes looked black. He didn't reach out to her like he typically would when greeting her, but he clearly was not in the mood for hellos.

"The person who saw you with him said that it looked like more than just an average conversation. Why are you lying to me, Blair?" He spoke softly, but his evident rage was not lost in his tone.

"I'm not lying to you. Why don't you trust me? What does it matter if I spoke to Draven? He's your cousin for God's sake. What harm could speaking with your family member do?" Blair asked, almost laughing out of the ridiculousness of it all. If this was only mere jealousy—

"He's illegitimate. He's beneath me, and you for that matter. And I don't think you're unaware of that," Chuck fumed. He took another step towards her.

"I don't see people that way—"

Chuck rolled his eyes, scoffing at her. He then moved forward again, this time grabbing both of her arms roughly. "You do when it comes to those who don't hurt your conscience. Now stop changing the subject and tell me what you two spoke of, word for word, if you must. If don't I shall—"

"You shall what strike me, your highness?" Blair sounded angry now too. She was. This was all too much, an overreaction on his part. She tried to pull her arms away from him. She was tired of being handled like some servant, or worse.

Chuck wouldn't let go though, only tightening his grip on her. He pulled her up against his chest, but not in the usual loving way. He glared down at her. "Now is not the time to insult me. You should consider it a favor I am the one questioning you here in my bedchambers rather than Captain and his royal associates up in the Tower of London!"

Blair felt herself go sort of limp in his hold. For a moment she felt nothing, but shock from his words. The Tower of London.

"The tower of London?" she repeated.

Chuck nodded slowly, quirking his left brow at her. "Yes, that's where Draven is right now. Even if he is, how you put it, my cousin?" His tone mocked her some. He released his hold on her.

Blair backed away from him, only stopping when her back hit the wall. "I—I don't understand, Chuck."

He sighed in aggravation. "Draven was caught fleeing early this morning. Rather suspicious of him to drop in for such a short visit, and try to leave before daylight after the night someone attempted to assassinate me. Or would you not agree?"

Blair's eyes fell from his. It was a lot of information to take in as the true situation finally started to set in. None of it made sense. Sure, she didn't know Draven really well, but he hadn't struck her as a traitorous murderer here to kill the prince, his own cousin.

"But surely one's family wouldn't be capable of such—" She began to argue, but Chuck cut her off.

"Blair, what did you speak about with him?" He stepped towards her, his voice eerily quiet as he spoke. "Do not make me ask again, because I won't." He was in front of her now, and with her back to the wall she had nowhere to go unless he moved.

"We didn't speak about anything that could allude to—he approached me. Chuck, you must believe me," she spoke with desperation now, lifting her hands up to touch his chest. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she couldn't have Chuck turn on her or doubt her with something as serious as this. She could easily be imprisoned off speculation, or worse.

He did not remove her hands from his chest, but instead brought his own up to once again hold her arms. This time though he held her not as roughly, but instead just sternly. "I know that much is true, Blair. And that's on your side for now, but prolonging this conversation anymore won't be," he warned.

Blair closed her eyes briefly, biting her lip. Then she opened her doe brown eyes, staring directly into his, and sighing. "He warned me about you, your family, and this court."

His nostrils flared some, but his voice did not spike at all in volume. "About what exactly?"

"It was a long conversation. I cannot recall it word for word." Blair really didn't want to get into it. She didn't doubt her conversation with Draven would anger Chuck in other ways and he clearly already had enough to be vexed about.

"Now it was a long conversation?" he asked, the words rolling sharply off his tongue. There was that anger again.

Blair looked deep into his eyes, wishing this could all just go away. She could tell by the way he stared back at her, that it wouldn't—not easily at least. She felt she was in a situation, with no options, but to tell the truth. It may not paint Draven in the best light, and she did not think him to be the attempted assassin, but she could not protect him over herself.

"He started by telling me about all the rumors he'd heard since arriving to court, ones about me, about us. He then warned me that someone may intend to use such information against me, but in means to get at you—like I was a—a—a pawn," she sighed. But then something happened. With her words his harsh demeanor seemed to diminish some. His grip on her arms once again loosened up, and he took a small step back to give her the chance to step away from the wall. When she didn't he took hold of her hand and pulled her towards him again, only in a different way than before.

"So he threatened you and I?" The anger in his voice was different now. It wasn't directed at her anymore, yet something in her told her he was still dangerous right now.

She shook her head, "No. No, that wasn't how I perceived it."

"You're not making sense Blair," he sighed, starting to sound aggravated again.

She hurried to calm him back down again. "It seemed more like a warning. Like he was trying to help, in his own way. He was saying that I was a pawn, and if I weren't careful I could end up like—like—" She hesitated. She couldn't say the words. She just couldn't.

"Like what?" Chuck asked.

"I don't know," she lied. "All I know is he followed it up by telling me that I should leave after the royal wedding. He said I would flee from here like he planned to, if I knew what was good for me."

"Suggesting he would know what's good for you?" he spat in retaliation.

"Chuck, that isn't the point." Blair was starting to feel discouraged with the conversation. It wasn't going anywhere, just leading to one problem after the next. His voice interrupted her thoughts.

"No, it sure as hell isn't. Tell me, Blair. Did you consider his advice?" His brow lifted and he looked at her in inquiry.

"What? No—I—" she was confused again.

"You don't sound so certain, Blair. Did he offer you a free trip back to France perhaps?" A different argument was starting now. She needed to stop it, stop all of it.

"He didn't offer me any help at all, other than advice. And I'm here aren't I? Hell, I was ripped out of bed and forced to come here practically nak—" She was about to go off on him, let him know her grievances. Starting with how his guards had treated her, but his voice overpowered hers.

"Do you know what would happen to you if you tried to leave my court without my permission, Blair?" he interrupted. It sounded like a threat.

"What does this have to do with Draven?" she backtracked.

"Nothing anymore. He isn't of any concern to you. He will likely be found guilty of treason before tomorrow morning, Blair. Are you familiar with the crime? Do you know what happens to those who commit it?"

Her eyes widened in disbelief at him. She felt a sickness in the pit of her stomach, but when it came up through her throat it turned to rage. Her brown eyes lit up and she yelled back at him. "You're being cruel! I told you what I know, and now you mock me—" Had someone told him, or did he know more about her past than he let on?

Chuck did not see the tears brimming in her eyes, but instead only her arguing with him in the worst possible time she could do so. "I assure you I am not. No I am being quite serious, and you will listen to all I have to say on the matter," he continued.

Blair shook her head, crossing her arms, and turning her back to him. "I will not. I will return to my chambers. Unless you think I am guilty of something?" she scoffed.

Chuck was silent for a moment, so much so that she slowly turned to look at him in question. Black eyes stared back at her, eyes that looked like they belonged to some kind of animal rather than a prince.

"Only with thoughts of leaving me, perhaps." Finally, he spoke. Only he didn't say what she expected him to. She turned back around to face him, but still intent on returning to her chambers before the night was through.

"I've given no indication—" she began, but was interrupted once more.

"If I were you I'd stay here tonight."

"Is that a threat, Chuck?" she asked in disbelief.

His eyes seemed to calm some, and he looked away from her, as if staring at something else in the room. He still seemed upset, but perhaps he was growing tired. She wondered what time it was, when his injuries had been tended to last, what kind of medicine he was on. She nearly scoffed at herself. Why this concern for him when she was the one being interrogated? She didn't understand her own thoughts lately.

"Is that a threat, Chuck?" she asked again, sounding a little more fearful than before. It was difficult to read him in moments like this.

"No, more like advice. Just because I say I believe you and you're cleared doesn't mean someone else won't try and come question you tonight. Here I can prevent it from happening," he explained, sighing as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

His words sunk in some and Blair realized just how in danger she had been tonight, perhaps how much she still currently was in. She already wasn't liked at court, and now there were people who thought she was conspiring to kill the prince? This was bad, very bad. She felt fear drift up from her toes and crash into her stomach. It made her legs feel all wobbly.

"Will you? Prevent it, I mean?" She tried to hide the dread in her voice, but she knew she must sound like a scared little girl.

He lifted his eyes to hers, and then walked over to her once more. He took her hands gently and nodded. "Yes, Blair. I don't think you were conspiring to kill me. Though I won't say your conversation with my guilty cousin doesn't concern me for other reasons."

Blair could see he was coming back to her now. Perhaps she could reason with him better now. "I don't think I've certified anyone's guilt. I don't think Draven—"

"You don't know him. How could you think anything? Unless you have more to tell me?" The skepticism slowly started to appear back on his face. She couldn't risk it.

"No, I've nothing more to say," Blair finished, though feeling somewhat defeated. She didn't know Draven well, but something told her he wasn't guilty. However, were he convicted of being so there would be no coming back from it. She knew how such things were dealt with in the English court. They were dealt with by blood.

Chuck continued to look at her for a few moments, before nodding his head, accepting she'd said all she was going to say. He held her hands in his, bringing them up to his lips and kissing them. "Stay here then, do not leave this room. I need to personally speak with the captain," he explained. He then began to walk towards the door to leave.

Blair felt that fear in the pit of her stomach again. The captain was Nate's father, someone who didn't like her. "Chuck—" she hesitated.

"What is it, Blair?" he stopped, though his back still faced towards her. It was as if he was waiting for her to say something else, divulge more information, and reveal she lied to him like all the others.

"I do not wish to leave you. I'm just scared," Blair admitted, shocked that it left her own lips. What could she do now though? She had said it. She watched as he slowly turned back around. He was frowning at her, but not in an infuriated way, more so that of a perplexed way instead.

"Scared of what?" he tilted his head at her.

"Of many things," she breathed, dropping her eyes in shame. How could she allow herself to sound so weak in his presence? She doubted that was a trait the prince valued in a woman. Suddenly, she felt him take hold of her again, this time placing one hand on her waist, and the using the other to cup her chin. She opened her eyes, locking them with his.

He shook his head, a small smile coming to his lips. His intention with it appeared to be that of comfort. He spoke to her gently, yet with strength. "Fear is only a manipulative emotion that tricks you into living an unfulfilled life, pretty."

She scoffed, turning away from him. Was he trying to pacify her? She then lifted her hands up in frustration. "That's easy for you to say, your highness." She waited for his response, perhaps for them to start arguing again. When he didn't speak in retaliation as quickly as she imagined though she lifted her eyes to his again.

He frowned, not saying a word, but advancing towards her swiftly. Before she could say or do anything he undid her robe, pulling it off of her and letting it drop to the ground. His eyebrows rose. "That's what I thought I saw."

She crossed her arms, attempting to cover herself. "Excuse me? What are you doing?" she questioned.

"What am I doing? Only confirming what I thought I noticed moments ago about your attire, or rather lack there of it. You let my guards bring you in the nude?"

She made a noise of aggravation, bending down and grabbing her robe. She pulled it back around herself, glaring at him. "I didn't let you guards do anything. In your anger and doubting of me YOU let them come into my chambers, pull me out of bed like this, and force me here without allowing me to change. You let them treat me like a whore! The way he handled me, it was humiliating! He even saw my—" She was screaming at him, but silenced suddenly when she saw that look come back to his eyes. He stepped towards her slowly, not saying a word, as he undid her robe again.

"What are you doing? I've had enough of—" She moved to stop him, but he grabbed her arm. He looked down at her, fisting his hand around the fabric of her robe, now holding it shut himself.

"What did he see?" He asked, speaking between his tightly pressed teeth.

Blair pouted at him. "How could you send them in like that? You said I was supposed to be only yours to look at, yours to touch. You let them handle me like some whore."

"I only gave the order to collect you promptly for questioning. However, it would seem someone's judgment in my guard is severely lacking. So why don't you tell me what of mine he saw and handled, so I can decide what I'll see to of his handling in response," he explained.

Blair felt her walls fall back down some. So he hadn't ordered her to be handled in such a way? And it would appear as if that brute of a guard's little mishap had landed Chuck fully back into her lap. It wouldn't have been her preferred method, but it appeared to have worked. She looked back up at him.

"They came to my chambers and woke me up when I was in bed, nude obviously. I asked them to leave so I could change. One of your men turned away, but not the one who—well who also mishandled me. He basically implied that I had no option, but to change in front of him, like some common whore. I held blankets around me the best I could though while I got my robe on, but when I awoke my umm—my bottom was exposed. He wasn't polite about it either. He wanted me to know he was looking at me," she explained, not regretting a single word. That awful man was going to get it now. Perhaps he'd get a good lashing, or even lose his knighthood. At least someone who deserved punishment would be receiving it today. She looked at Chuck, watching as he took it all in.

"I don't think he cared that I'm—well how you put it—yours," she furthered.

"He will. I imagine he'll care a great deal when I'm done with him, if there's anything left of him—that is," Chuck seethed, sort of smirking to himself. It wasn't a pleased looking smirk though, and he didn't look happy, far from it actually. No there was something very dark about it, sinister even.

Blair thought about how this look he had should have scared her, but it didn't. It wasn't directed at her, but rather something pulled out of him over her, and her mistreatment. These were new strings on a man she hadn't seen or pulled before. And something tempted her to further it. She touched his chest.

"Will you make it so he and all the rest of them know they can't treat me in such a way, Chuck? That they can't handle me like that? That only you, and you alone can look on me, and handle me roughly in the way you like to when you've had a long, frustrating day?" she purred. She had leaned in, now kissing his neck, right below his ear. She couldn't see them, but had a feeling his eyes rolled back into his head a little. She knew it was a sensitive spot of his, a different kind of string to pull.

Chuck growled, grabbing her by her neck. He didn't do it to hurt her, but only to forcefully bring her eyes back to his, take her lips of his neck. He shook his head and smirked at her.

"No one will ever think they can touch you in that way, Blair. Or any way, again… I can assure you of that. That man will pay quite a steep price for how he handled you, what he saw of you. He should have known I wouldn't allow other eyes out there to look upon what's mine, carry on in my court, he might as well have been mocking me. In fact, in this case I think I'll start with those eyes, considering they were the first to commit such a crime against me. An eye for an eye, you could say." His hand moved from her neck to her cheek. She backed up, into the bed, sitting down on it when the back of her thighs brushed his fur blankets. He moved with her, cupping his cheek with his hand.

"Wh—what exactly are you going to do to him?" Blair asked.

He shook his head, kissing her lips softly, and then her forehead. He sighed, "I don't want you to know the details, pretty. In fact, I'm going to ask you not to ask around about what happens to him. I don't want you to fear me, Blair."

She frowned, "Fear you? But you're protecting me?"

"You're protected by being here. But what I'm going to do next isn't about protecting you, Blair. My family isn't feared because of how we protect people. Far from it, actually," he explained.

"So then why do it? Hurt, punish, or whatever you're going to do I mean?" Blair asked, still intrigued by this side of him.

He stared back at her, in all seriousness.

"Because I'm Chuck Bass, and because I want to."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Author's Note: Hello? Is anyone still out there? Let me know if you want more. I think I'm back…. ;)