章 45: Chapter 44
UNEDITED-
Anna POV-
I never fooled myself into thinking we were safe here.. so this comes as no surprise...
I had been waiting for the day someone would show up at the door to take me back... to the empty abys. I had only hoped it wouldn't be so soon.
All I can smell is their fear.. the bearded guy was still screaming in agony. The men had all drawn their weapons.. but stood still like statues, too scared to move.
"What are you waiting for?!" Screamed their leader.. All of their eyes were transfixed on me. A clang was heard as one man dropped his weapon.. I watched on in confusion as he dropped to his knees.. bowing before me with his arm across his chest.. 6 more weapons hit the dirt with a thud, followed by the sound of their knees hitting the floor.
"The king will have your heads for this!" The leader screeched, wild eyed. No more threats..
I roared again, this time though when I did.. the flames seemed to stream from my mouth, smothering the man on the floor infront of me.
I was just as surprised as the onlookers.
It took mere seconds for his body to turn black as coal. The burning embers glowing through cracks in his skin.. This fire inside me is clearly not ordinary. My powers were meant for destruction that much is clear.
"Please.. please forgive us" one man wept..
"We just did what we had to." another man begged.. The first man who had dropped to his knees stayed silent until now.. He slowly made his way to his feet with his hands in the air.. "None of us wanted this.." he said calmly looking into my eyes.
It would be so easy to kill everyone of them.. to burn them all to a crisp but I won't..
I look at each one of them and I see myself, a helpless soul.
The rage inside me began to subside and with it so did the flames. Maybe this decision will come back to haunt me but if I kill them now I'll be just as bad as the King.
I need to speak with them but I can't do it like this.. I looked to Bea who'd witnessed the whole interaction.. her mouth had been slightly agape until she noticed me looking at her.
I turned my back to the men and began to walk to the cave to get changed. I was a few feet away when I heard almost a war cry that turned into a roar.. I turned quickly to see one of the men right infront of me.. he was already shifted.. a lycan. He drew his sword back and swung for my head.. I dodged quickly but not quick enough. The tip of the blade sliced across my chest.. leaving a 30cm slash just below my collarbone. He made another attempt for my head but this time I caught his hand that held the sword. I squeezed hard, probably breaking every bone in his hand.. If I wasn't so angry I'd probably be sick. The feeling of bones being crunched and cracked in your hand is not an experience that should be repeated. A silver glint coming from his chest caught my eye.. then it was gone. He dropped to his knees clutching his chest with his other hand.. I let his hand go only to watch him die on the spot.
Behind him was the first man who had dropped to his knees. He held a long sword that was covered in blood.. without another thought he dropped the sword and put his hands up again slowly stepping backwards.
I bowed my head as a show of thanks before continuing into the cave.. Bea quickly followed me inside shutting and locking the door behind her. I began to feel dizzy as the loss of blood started to take effect.
I made my way to the middle of the room before I started the agonising process of turning back into a human. The searing pain lit through me.. it was almost unbearable. I tried not to make any noise as to notify the men outside that I'm seriously wounded.
If they hear how weak I feel, some of them might think they have a chance to complete their mission.
I could only whimper as it felt like coarse sandpaper and salt was being rubbed into my wound. As soon as the transformation was complete a blanket was thrown over me.
I sat hunched over on the floor.. Bea quickly made her way to my side sweeping me up like a baby. She carried me to the sofa gently laying me down.. The blanket around me was already slick with blood. My eyes had began to grow heavy as a nauseating feeling swept over me. I heard Bea rummaging around for something before I felt her hands draw back the blanket, enough to get a look at my wound.
"Where is Florence?" she asked frantically..
I strained to open my eyes, seeing a worried expression on her face.. I would call to her through the mate bond but I doubt that would do anything from this far away..
"Anna you need to tell me where she is!" She demanded in a worried tone. I felt her hand on my face pushing my hair back but I couldn't say anything.. I was just too tired. "I can't help you." She croaked.
*crash* The door to the cave came bursting open, shocking my eyes open for a moment. I saw a distraught tearful Florence looking back from across the room.
I blinked once and it seemed in the second I had closed my eyes she had teleported to right infront of me.. Bea had moved back to give Florence some room.
"Anna.." Florence sighed as she put her hand on my forehead. She quickly found my wound and began putting pressure on it.
"I'm.. fine." I spoke in laboured breaths.. trying hard to keep my eyes open.
"I thought we were done with lying to each other.." she replied through a pained smile.
I made an attempt to smile back but it was short lived. My eyelids fell and I could no longer push them open. I had fallen asleep.
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I opened my eyes to find myself in bed. I looked down to where the slash had been.. it's now covered in a bandage.. judging by the discolouration of the blood that seeped through, I've been out for some time. I'm still naked and covered by the blanket Bea had thrown over me.. the only place that is clean of crusty blood is the place around my wound. It's smaller in this form but still very deep and goes half way across the right side of my chest. I made an attempt to lift my hand to rub my eyes but found something heavy in it.. to my surprise Florence was asleep in a chair next to me.. her head was rested on my bed nexto my legs..
I slowly slipped my hand free of hers, trying not to wake her. It didn't work.. her eyes shot open. "Are you okay?" She asked rubbing her eyes and sitting up straight in her chair.
"Yes.. I'm alright." I replied with a hoarse voice.
"How long have I been out?" I questioned as I adjusted myself to sit up..
"Almost a day.." she said as she grabbed a cup that was on the bedside table.. "Here" she handed me the cup.. I just smiled as thanks before gulping down the water.
"Thank you.." I replied as I placed the cup back on the table. My throat feels alot better already.. I even sound more myself.
She smiled in response before asking "How do you feel?"
"Better.." I smiled back. But now I have to ask her something that she might not want to hear..
I looked to my stomach and then back to Florence in a slight panic.. "Is it?" I spoke, hesitant to finish my sentence. "Did you check?" I asked not giving her enough time to respond the first time.
"He's okay" she said with genuine concern..
"He?" I asked in confusion..
"Just my guess.. I think it's a boy." she smiled. I hadn't thought of if it will be a boy or a girl.. just that it will be a child, as weird as that might sound to some. I was unable to hold a smile back as I realised that Florence has really thought about this.. and she's still here by my side.
I watched her eyes glancing over my mate mark.. even I had not expected it to be so large.. and she can't even see half of it. I remember she told me hers reaches many places but surely it's not as large as mine.. I mean it's almost everywhere. She probably see some in the closet in the castle but it was very dark.
Florence soon realised that I'd noticed her.. she smiled nervously before speaking "I'm sorry.. this is all just, still a little strange for me.." strange? like weird strange?.. she realised I hadn't understood what she meant by my puzzled facial expression. "Not bad strange.. just different." she clarified in a genuine tone. I believe her.
"Can I see?" She asked pointing to my bandage.
"Yes." I answered, pulling the bandage off slowly. I can't really tell how much its healed.. it's still very much covered in dried blood. I can see alot of stitches.
Florence got up from her chair.. "I'll be back in moment." she said on her way out of the room.
Thirty seconds later she re-emerged from the doorway weilding a bowl of water and a rag.
She placed the bowl nexto the glass on the bedside table. "Can I?" she asked holding the rag up.. she is always trying to clean me, what is it with this.
"It's alright.." I smiled "You've already done so much for me, the least I can do is clean myself.".. I replied holding my hand out to take the rag.
She paused for a moment contemplating something.. "Okay.." she said, trying to conceal her wounded tone.
She gave me the rag, leaving her hand in mine for a few extra seconds for some reason.
"Thank you.." I really am greatful.
I dipped the rag in the luke warm water, wringing off the excess. Then I began the task of removing the dried blood from my injury. First I tried to be a little gentle but it wasn't coming off.. so I had to rub it more vigorously.
"Stop..stop." Florence held onto my hand with the rag in it.. "No more of that.. I can't watch it any longer." She sounded like an angry teacher..
She took the rag from me using her other hand, still leaving my hand in hers.
I'd only managed to clean half of the wound.
"What was that for?" I asked with furrowed eyebrows..
"You're going to rip the stitches or something.. it's trying to heal and your rubbing at it like it's a dirty dish!" She winced as I think she re-imagined my amazing cleaning skills.
"It wasn't coming off." I replied plainly..
Florence sighed deeply before wetting the rag again and bringing it up to my wound.. she left it there for a few seconds before gently brushing at it. It doesn't hurt.. I could have cleaned it myself but if this makes her feel better... I had almost fell asleep after a few minutes before the sound of her voice woke me up.. "It looks much better.. I can take the stitches out if you want?" She looked over to me after she finished her sentence..
"Yeah okay." I smiled trying to act like I wasn't just dozing off.
Florence reached down beside the bed to grab a leather bag. She quickly reached in to grab out a small pair of surgical scissors. I waited patiently as she snipped and tugged out each one. After they were all out she gently wiped over my injury again with the wet rag. It was just a purple scar now.. it's painful but alot better. I'm still surprised at the rate of my healing, I'm definetly glad of it.
"Why didn't you wait for one of us to come get you?" I asked intently..."You promised me that you would stay"..
"I did stay.. for a few minutes.." she paused unable to look me in the eyes.
"Florence" I sighed..
"If I had done what you said you might be dead, where would that leave us?" She looked me in the eyes this time, answering with more conviction. I can't fault her for saving my life.
"Fair enough.." A smile crept back onto my face.. but it quickly went away when I remembered something.. "What happened to the men outside?" I asked..
"There were thirteen when I arrived.. now there are nine.." she paused but knowing what I was going to ask she continued "Some of them still sided with the king.. the rest sided with you.. they resolved it amongst themselves." she said looking down for a moment sort of nodding.
"I understand.." I replied knowingly. I need to speak with them.. and Bea. I wonder if she's let them know that she's the princess. But first I need to have a wash and get dressed. The best thing about this place is the natural flowing water. The washroom was basically a mini water fall that goes into a 10ft by 15ft hole in the stone, it filters out itself and flows back down the mountain. I really need that right now.
"I'm gonna go get cleaned up.." I said as I put my legs over the side of the bed. "Thanks again Florence.. I don't know what I'd do without you.. or Bea.." I planted a long kiss on the top of her head before leaving the room still wrapped in the crusty blood soaked blanket.
The cold stone floor beneath my feet woke me up more than the walking itself. I've been asleep for almost a whole day but I still feel tired.. healing really takes up alot of energy. It was a pretty big injury I guess.
I made it to the wash room now remembering I didn't bring any clothes with me, I contemplated going back for them but seeing as though there is a towel already in here I see no point in going back.
-----
Floating here in the water reminds me of home.
If you could call it home. One thing I always loved about the Castle was the many swimming pools. Inside.. outside.. upstairs.. I loved every second in the water. I remember as a young girl being terrified of water. My father hired a swimming coach but I refused to set foot near the pool. I didn't trust my body enough.. everytime I would tense up instead of relaxing, I almost drowned and since then.. I hadn't even tried. That was until my father made it one of his top priorities to help me overcome my fear. For three days in a row he took me swimming. It only took that long for me to get the hang of it with his help.
It was about trust.. I trusted that he knew what he was doing. I could relax and the water would hold me.. I trusted him. I was safe.. and I felt safe. Maybe that's why I always feel safe in the water.. because I remember how I felt in that moment. I always imagined that was what true freedom felt like. Maybe I will never get to find out.
After what felt like hours I finally willed myself out of the water. I could have floated there for days but I can't.. I still have many things to take care of.
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NOTES-
Not really sure where I went with this one. I'm gonna reread at some point because I probably messed up a bunch.. maybe I didn't, I'm not sure yet. I try to stay confident in what I've written but it's hard considering this is the first story I've ever written and let people read.. and I haven't written anything proper since school years ago.. even then I don't think I was very good..
None the less I hope you enjoyed!!
Thank you for making it this far.. Let me know what you think of the story. I would appreciate your honest opinion whatever it may be.
Peace.
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