Chapter Eight
"What are you saying?" Annabell groaned while trying her best to wrench her body and escape from his grasp. Her attempt failed miserably, as he only lowered his whole weight on her to keep her from struggling.
He raised his hand to her face and brushed her cheek with one of his long, thin fingers. The finger trailed towards her neck, and he pushed some loose strands for hair behind her ear.
"Why, Beautiful… Do you really want to know?" He whispered, his lips barely touching her ear. A shudder of disgust ran through her body.
"Get off me!" Annabell snapped at him while wrenching desperately under his firm body. "Who do you think you are?" This only made him laugh. There was something so unpleasant with his laughter, it scared Annabell.
"Excuse me, I am so sorry! Where are my manners? We have not yet been properly introduced." He said with a mocking voice. "My dear, my name is Ezra, I am the current heir of Virona," This made Annabell grasp in surprise, "and also, until recently, I was the heir of Lord Darshia, the Duke of Tabitha, and my half-brother."
"Your half-brother?" Annabell whispered with a faint voice.
"Yes, we share the same mother. Though, I am happy to say that I was wanted, not like that bastard she put out in the woods."
Annabell was filled with rage when she heard those words. She had seen the sorrow in Nathaniel's eyes when he spoke of his childhood. She knew he tried to put up a brave face to hide how much he had suffered, and then this... this despicable man talked of him this way.
"Why are you keeping me here? Let me go!" Annabell demanded.
"Oh, no beautiful, I can't let you go. You have ruined my plan, and I have to keep you out of the way. Originally the plan was to kill you, but something tells me that will not be necessary." His greedy eyes examined her body. "After all, you can come in handy."
His words made her shiver in pure terror as his voice left no doubt of what he meant by handy. He let his lips trail from her ear before he forcefully pushed them against hers and forced her mouth open. Biting her lip and invading her throughout. Annabell was shocked and rage filled her once again, but before she could bite him, he pulled away and looked down at her with a smug smile.
"I have to go, Beautiful, but do not worry, I'll be back."
***
Nathaniel felt awful. It was as if his mouth was filled with cotton, and every breath made his throat sting.
His eyes were burning and they refused to open up. The sound of a door opening made him forget his pains, and brought him back to the real world.
"You're awake, sir?" Nathaniel recognized the voice as Mr. Knightly, the headwaiter.
"Water!" Was the only thing Nathaniel managed to say with his hoarse voice.
"Yes, certainly, Sir!"
Nathaniel could hear a glass being filled before a hand gently supported his head so he could drink properly. Nathaniel noticed his body felt oddly weak, and simple task of drinking had made him tired.
"What happened?" Nathaniel asked perplex.
"I'm sorry to say, but your head took a nasty blow, Sir. You have been unconscious for almost two days. We have all been terrified, and the doctor told us that if you did not wake up soon he would have to bleed you… The good news is that we managed to prevent the fire from spreading. Only the east wing is damaged…"
"What about my Bell?" Nathaniel cut the headwaiter off. "Is she all right?"
There was a long silence that made Nathaniel shiver in fear.
"I'm sorry sir, but she seems to be missing… But we know for a fact that she did not die in the fire. Her body was nowhere to be found, so we can only assume that she was not in the castle."
"Missing?"
Nathaniel forced his eyes open, only to close them a second later. It felt like a wall of white light crashed into his pupils, and tears started to fall because of the overwhelming brightness.
"Missing?" He repeated. "What has been done to find her?"
"I am sorry to say sir that very little has been done. We simply did not know what to do. We had sent for the king, as we feared that your life would soon come to an end."
"I am fine!" Nathaniel roared. "You should be out searching for Annabell! She is probably all alone and terrified!"
"But sir, there is very little we can do! She has not simply wandered off into the woods. The fire was …someone started the fire willingly…, and I'm sorry to say sir, there is a chance she has been kidnapped!"
This made Nathaniel groan. It felt like a physical pain. He had promised Annabell he would take care of her, and yet, now she was kidnapped. How could he ever live with himself if he caused her pain because of his status? She had already been through so much. He would not let anything happen to her. He would not rest before she was once again safe.
"Send the king to my room the minute he arrives..."
"There is no need. I am already here son."
***
"So you're sure that she has been kidnapped?" Leopold asked Knightly with a stern voice. The King and Nathaniel had retreated to his study, this way gaining the opportunity to speak undisturbed in more fitting surroundings.
"Yes, father. If she has not ran away, which I don't consider a possibility -then she must have been kidnapped. There is no sign of her here."
"Why don't you consider her running away a possibility?" Leopold asked.
"Why would she wish to run away? She was happy here. Every single one of the servants commented how well and happy she looked. It is nothing more than she deserves, to be happy I mean. What a poor sight she was when she first arrived here."
Leonard looked confused.
"Poor sight? She looked fine when I met her the other night." He said while looking at Nathaniel.
Nathaniel sighted. "I do not want you to tell this to anyone, but she was abused by her father. When she arrived she had a broken shoulder, she was hungry and her back was covered in wounds and old scars from being repeatedly hit by a cane."
Leonard was shocked. "Poor girl! Why do you want to keep this as a secret? This man deserves to be punished!"
"And he will, trust me! But I do not want Annabell's name to be associated with this. She has suffered enough." Nathaniel growled.
Leonard looked at the servant. "Please leave us." He ordered, and the servant bowed as he retreated. With a muffled voice Leonard turned towards Nathaniel. "Do you have any idea who might have kidnapped her?"
"No, I do not. I fear though that she might have been taken by someone who wishes to get to me."
"Yes, I agree with you, that it the most likely scenario. But by kidnapping your wife, this man makes a threat for you, and by that me and the whole kingdom. You might not like it, but in this country you are regarded as a royalty. These sorts of things shall not happen, the security should have been better; you should have guards for heaven's sake! Her kidnapping is a threat to the kingdom's security." The king nearly shouted.
"She was in the bedroom!" Nathaniel growled. "There should be no need for guards in my own bedroom!"
"Well, obviously there is a need! If there was not, she would still be here! It is your responsibility to keep her safe. There is no question whatsoever; you have to increase the guard!"
Nathaniel rose from the bed and walked to the nearby window. He was quiet for a long time as he studied the view. The thought of his Bell all alone somewhere out there made his mouth dry with fear. She had already suffered so much. He wouldn't let anything happen to her. "Yes, I shall increase the guard." Nathaniel surrendered quietly.
Leopold moved and stood quietly behind him, studying the same view. "Have there been any questions about ransom?" Leopold asked while placing a comforting hand on Nathaniel's shoulder.
"No, not yet." Nathaniel answered with a sigh. "I just hope she is not hurt."
***
Annabell was desperately trying to escape the chains that restrained her to the big bed.
Her wrists were sore and swollen because of the previous struggle with the chains, and it wasn't long before they started bleeding again. Annabell was overwhelmed by numbness as she watched the blood trickled down her wrists, making a way of its own down to her hand. She found the contrast between her white hand and the red, red blood immersive. The blood made its way all down to the very tip of her finger, where it then abandoned the hand and stained the white sheets on the bed.
A knock on the door woke Annabell from her obsession.
"Who's there?" She answered hoarse.
"Your food, Miss..." A young servant, barely 13 years of age, entered the room. Annabell did not care to correct him that she was no longer a miss, but Mrs. Darshia.
The young boy handed her a plate with food, and surprisingly Annabell found herself famished. "Thank you!" She replied the boy, and signalled for him to sit down. She was in desperate need for some company.
"Can you please keep me company while I eat?"
"Yes, miss. That's no problem." The boy answered with a grin.
"Please, tell me your name. Who do I have the honour of dining with?"
"It is Billy, miss. You don't have to tell me yours. I already know who you are!"
"Oh," Annabell smiled, "That's awful nice for you then."
"How old are you Billy?"
"Thirteen this may!" He said with a large grin. "And just how long have you been working here?" Annabell asked.
"Since I was ten! I'm working down in the kitchen. My job is to watch the fire, and to help the chef with whatever I can."
"It is a mighty important job, is it not?" Annabell asked, amused by the little boy. "It sure is Miss! The chef often says that he couldn't do without me!"
"Billy, where exactly are we?" Annabell asked while trying her best to sound normal, even though she was nervous. If the boy refused to answer her question she would be just as helpless as he was now.
"We are in Virona, in the prince's castle, not far from the border to the duchy Tabitha in Avalon." Billy answered.
"How far from Tabitha are we?" Annabell urged on.
"Not far at all. Probably a half days walk in that direction," he said while pointing lazily in front of him. "And it is just a couple of hours on horseback. Why?"
"Oh, no, it was nothing. I am just curious. That's all."
"'m sorry miss, but I see you have finished your food, so I have to return to the kitchen. The master will soon be back." With these words he boy picked up her plate and left the room. Annabell felt her tummy tighten in fear.
Once the door was closed, Annabell started desperately tugging in the chains again. The blood soon started to pour, but she kept on. She was desperately trying to wrench her hands out of the steel grasp. The blood seemed to make her wrist slippery, and she noticed that the chains little by little started to move. With a last wrench the chains fell off and she was free!
Relief rushed through her; she could feel her feet tremble as the adrenaline surged through her body. She was free! Finally free! She rushed to the door and discovered that the fool Ezra did not even care to keep the door locked. Carefully Annabell opened the door and peeked out to the hallway. There was nobody there.
As fast and quiet as she could Annabell moved towards what looked like the servants staircase, a big black hole that seemed to devour every last beam of light. Annabell was listening after any sound that could indicate Ezra's return. The only thing she could hear was her own heart beating madly in her chest, and the blood pulsating in her ears. Slowly Annabell started climbing down the stairs. One step of the time, the stair was old and poorly maintained and every time Annabell reached a bad step, the whole stair creaked like there was no tomorrow.
When she reached the door in bottom she stopped carefully listening after any sound at all.
There was someone hustling with pans and jugs, so Annabell assumed she had reached the kitchen.
Annabell was waiting several minutes. She did not dare to open the door while there still were people in the kitchen, but was at the same time terrified that someone would open the door and find her.
After a time the sounds vanished and she made herself take a peek out in the kitchen. There was no one there. She grabbed her shirts and ran all she could towards the kitchen entrance. Right outside was a large ground before the stables. Luckily for Annabell, the ground was just as deserted as the kitchen and she spurted over the ground towards the stables.
Her mouth was dry and her breath unsteady. "Just a couple of hours on horseback..." She whispered as she grabbed a bridle that was hanging by a gentle looking mare. Her fingers trembled so wildly that she had big problems with saddling the mare. "Just a couple of hours..." Tears were streamed down her face when her attempt on putting the bit inside the horse's mouth failed. "just a couple.."
Two big hands grabbed her shoulders from behind. Annabell could feel her whole body tense and start to tremble in fear. His lips trailed slowly down her neck towards her collarbone where they lingered for a moment before he sniggered and moved them up to her ear once again. "Beautiful..." he whispered, "...it will take a lot more than two hours for you to leave this castle."
Here's chapter eight. It's a little longer than the other chapters, but right now my top priority it to get this story posted, so I posted a bunch together.
I hope they make sense though!
Evelyn