14
1873 Words
There's a ringing in my ears as my knees buckle. Spots dance over my eyes as Henri runs towards me. He manages to catch me before I fall to the ground. He's saying something, his mouth moving, but I can't hear anything over the ringing.
He lies me down on the floor and runs from the room. I don't know how much time passes before he returns with a small bucket. He dampens the hem of his sleeve in the water of the bucket and wipes it across my face. The cold of the water jolts me back to reality.
I sit up, gasping for breaths. I put my hands to my cheeks and realize they aren't just wet from his sleeve. My face is covered in tears.
Henri stares at me, worry printed across his face. "Can you hear me?"
I nod.
"Are you okay?"
I start to nod again, but I stop. I'm not okay. "What happened to Grace?"
Henri frowns, "I want you to become more stable before I flood you with information. I don't want you to—"
"What happened to Grace?"
He says, "Are you sure you're ready to know?"
"It doesn't matter if I'm ready or not. Grace is still missing either way."
Henri massages his temples, murmuring, "Maybe I shouldn't have told you..."
"It's doesn't matter what you should or shouldn't have done. You did. You deserve to tell me more information."
He takes a deep breath. "It was the night I wrote you the letter. Three days ago. Florentine sent you a letter, but Alexanne must have intercepted it. It was in the middle of the night. Grace was sleeping in her room. It wasn't the same room that the two of you shared. It was different, with no windows and only one door. Two guards were posted at her door. The only way out of that room was through that door yet...in the morning she wasn't there."
I clench my fingers into fists, "Did Florentine not have guards posted at the gates? How could the people have gotten into Florentine's home without her knowing? She has a gate all the way around her estate."
He adds, "And she had guards posted every several feet around that gate."
"Surely someone must have tipped off the guards."
"Florentine has interrogated all of her guards and servants. She hasn't gotten a single piece of information from anyone. They are all ignorant or loyal to someone else."
I slam my hand into the floor. Pain ripples across my fingers, but I barely notice it. "Florentine promised me that she would keep Grace safe. She promised." My voice breaks and the sobs escape my throat.
Henri struggles to find a way to comfort me. He awkwardly wraps an arm around my shoulders. "She feels guiltier than you will ever know. She has sent her best guards into the city. She thinks that some of the townspeople searching for Grace might have found her."
"Why is she wasting her time? Surely she knows that it is Alexanne who did this."
"I think she is afraid to believe that, even if it is the truth. After all, if it is Alexanne who took Grace, there is nothing Florentine can do about it."
I bury my head in my hands, "If Alexanne took Grace, she's probably already dead."
"You must remember that it is possible that some townspeople found her."
"And they have chosen to keep Grace hidden, although there is a huge bounty on Grace if found alive. Why would they waste their time?"
"Perhaps they wanted to wait until the bounty raised as Alexanne became more desperate."
I shake my head, "No. It was Alexanne. Only she would figure out a way to get passed all the guards. I need to...I need to go talk to her right now. I'll demand that she returns Grace..." I stand, wiping the tears from my cheeks.
I get only a few strides away before Henri grabs my arm. "You know that's not a good plan."
I try to wrestle my arm from his grasp, "I don't' know how much time Grace has. I won't waste it. I need to talk to Alexanne now."
"Or," he says, "you can search without Alexanne knowing. If she knows that you are aware of Grace, she'll only raise her defenses."
"She could be killing Grace right now. I won't use Grace's life as soon game piece between Alexanne and I."
"You aren't using Grace as a game piece. You're saving her life. I highly doubt that Alexanne would just kill Grace. She's going to use her to bargain with you."
I shake my head, "Then what do I do?"
"You don't say anything to Alexanne. You keep up the fake smile and forced laughter. Then, you go searching the dungeons, and any other place Alexanne stores prisoners, to see if Grace is there."
I take a deep breath and force myself to think through my panic. What is the best way to save Grace? Surely it wouldn't be to charge in and demand that Alexanne hand her over. Henri is right. If Alexanne wants to play this game, so can I.
I wipe the tears away from my face, "Thank you, Henri, you're right."
He relaxes, "I'm glad. I am really sorry and so is Florentine."
As angry as I am at Florentine, I know that it truly isn't her fault. She took every precaution she had the power to. From what Henri said, she had guards posted everywhere. It just came down to the betrayal of a servant or guard, something she couldn't have helped.
If I'm going to be angry at someone, it should be at Alexanne.
I say, "I don't think I will be able to focus on a lesson right now."
Henri smiles, "I completely understand. Perhaps later tonight? Tomorrow? I was thinking we could meet twice a day. In the morning and in the afternoon. You said you wanted to learn as quickly as you can so..."
I shake my head, "Alexanne said that I am only about to meet you once a day for the maximum of one hour. Anything more and you will be immediately dismissed."
"She doesn't have to know."
"She will know."
He starts to argue but I hold up a hand, "Don't argue with me. I know what Alexanne is capable of. She's suspicious of you. She doesn't want me to have someone to teach me how to defend myself. She'll probably take every opportunity she has to get rid of you. Be careful and watch yourself."
"I will." He brushes my warning aside.
"I'm serious. You aren't above her. She got Grace, I don't want her to get you, too."
His pride softens, "You're right. I'll be careful."
I smile, "Thank you. I think I'll go back to my room now. I need time to think."
He nods and allows me to leave. I dry my cheeks one last time before pushing the doors open.
Camille and Antonin's eyes fall over me. From their expressions, I know that they see my puffy, red eyes. I don't say anything, stalking down the hall.
Antonin puts a hand on my shoulder, "Did he hurt you?"
"No."
He doesn't seem satisfied, but he doesn't say anything.
We walk for a few minutes longer before Camille asks, "Are you okay, miss?"
"Yes."
I march down the hall, desperately trying to keep the tears within my eyes. If I see Alexanne right now, I don't know what I will do. I'll either dissolve into tears or tear her to shreds. Perhaps I'll do both at the same time.
Once we reach the quarters, I march straight to my bed. I don't bother changing out of my dress. I fall on to my bed and bury my face into my pillow.
I should tell Antonin. They are in a serious relationship after all. Surely he would want to know if Grace was missing.
But I can't gather the courage.
My pillow quickly becomes stained with my tears.
Camille allows me a few minutes of peace before her hand falls on my back, "Perhaps you should change out of that dress."
I shake my head, my face still buried into my pillow.
She leaves me for a few more minutes before returning, "At least allow me to remove your makeup. You are going to stain your pillow."
I don't bother responding.
Camille sighs besides me, "Perhaps you would like to talk about it. It tends to help me."
I shake my head and whisper into my pillow, "No."
Antonin's heavy footsteps fall beside my bed, "Honestly, Admira, you need to get over your self-pity. Tell us what happened so we can help you."
I sit up in bed and resist my urge to scream at him. A sob breaks my throat, "You can't help me."
"Yes, I can. That's the reason I am here. To help you," Antonin replies calmly. "I'm sure that whatever it is, it isn't nearly as serious as you are making it. Just tell me."
I break. All my anger, my grief, my stress, it all spills on to Antonin. "It's not serious? What I'm feeling isn't serious? Grace has gone missing, Antonin. Is that serious enough?" Camille is standing beside me but I'm not thinking straight enough to keep my mouth shut.
Antonin grabs my shoulders and stares at me, "Grace is missing?"
"Yes, she's missing. She was stolen right from her bedroom in the middle of the night. Do you want to make fun of my grief anymore?"
Antonin breaks away from me, "I'm going to kill Alexanne."
"You and I both."
Antonin begins to march for the door, pulling his dagger from his belt.
"Stop." I say.
He keeps marching.
"By the command of a princess, I say stop." I say louder.
Antonin stiffens, and spins around. "Don't stop me."
"I will. I have a plan and you will help."
He opens his mouth but closes it. There is nothing he wants to do more than charge into Alexanne's quarters and cut her throat. However, that won't help us find Grace. It only turn him into a murderer and get him executed.
I quickly explain Henri's plan of searching the dungeons. Antonin slowly agrees to my plan. I force him to promise me that he won't do anything rash. He grudgingly swears on his life to follow my orders.
Camille still stands beside my bed, confusion written across her features. I can only imagine what she thinks of us. I'm crying over my old lady in waiting, the same one who supposedly got me 'executed' for traitorous behavior. Antonin is threatening to kill Alexanne, the Queen. We both are planning to search the dungeons for Grace.
I turn to her, "I will explain in the morning. Please, allow me one night. Don't say anything."
She nods without a hint of hesitation. She dutifully undresses me and prepares me for bed. The day is just beginning to turn into night, but I don't care. Camille pulls the curtains closed as I crawl into bed and bury my face into my wet pillow.
I cry myself to sleep.
- Writer
