THE FEUD #1

CHAPTER 5

NOVENA

I close my eyes, a shiver passing over me from fear and a little excitement. The duke wouldn’t harm the princess, I remind myself. There is nothing to be afraid of other than the scandal of getting caught under his son’s bed. The media would eat me alive with a story like that. With that thought in mind, I try my best to concentrate on relaxing. All I have to do is wait quietly until they leave, whoever they are. Hopefully, that will be happening soon.

“Hurry get him into the bathroom!” The woman’s voice sounds urgent and seconds later a thud sounds as if something heavy has been dropped, followed by the sound of running water.

I hadn’t even noticed a bathroom in the room when I first looked around. Granted that wasn’t very long and in the dark but still. A light flashes on, lighting my view of the chestnut-coloured wooden floors stretching across the bedroom. It’s not long before two pairs of shoes – men’s shoes – leave the direction of the light and backtrack to what I’m sure is the bedroom door. After a moment, the sound of a door opening and closing behind them proves me right. Building courage, I risk peeking. I can see the woman on her knees with only the side profile of her back visible to me from under the bed. I bite my nails nervously. I hear muffled sobbing as the woman attends to whatever appears to have upset her so greatly. She’s wearing a dress, the old-styled, traditional maid’s uniform. Deciding that she’s too preoccupied to notice if I silently resurface from my hiding spot, I slip from underneath the bed and as carefully as possible place my feet beneath me, rising to my full height. As I thought, the maid isn’t paying attention to the areas around her as she faces what I can now see is the side of a clear white tub. I glance apprehensively at the open window, but the need to know exactly what this woman is doing crying in what William and Ragnar believe to be Axel’s room, is too great a curiosity for me to leave unknown. Nerves of trepidation seem to tingle throughout my body as I slowly sneak closer. Just a quick look, I tell myself. I’m holding my breath as the large square tub comes into my line of view. I’m not prepared for what I see next. The sight has me reeling backwards, gasping in horror at Axel’s battered body perched with his legs in the tub and his back against the ceramic tiled walls, completely limp. His face is void of all emotions as his head tilted backwards watching the brown-haired girl attempt to clean the open wounds and wipe the blood away. I see the moment Axel sees me, his lips part and his eyes widen as I move into the light from the dark room behind me. The brown-haired girl, seeing Axel’s reaction jumps to her feet, swirling around in fright. Then, she seems surprised, almost confused as she looks at me with her large eyes. She reminds me of a frightened deer, just staring like that and perhaps she feels the same as she considers me.

“Who are you?” She demands with enough fire to fuel hell.

My cheeks redden, very aware that I am in a bathroom with a hysterical maid and my brother’s seriously injured, stripped down, best friend.

I shake the thought, “What happened to him?” I ask, shaken at the sight of him – looking broken.

This is someone I never expected to see vulnerable and without a cocky smile playing on his lips. Axel, the top champion fighter, is beaten and bloodied.

The maid’s tearstained face frowns angrily, “I want to know who you are and what you are doing here!” she insists.

I’m surprised by the girl’s hostility. Casting nervous eyes at Axel who unblinkingly looks at me, I manage a small smile to calm the young girl's nerves and my own.

“I’m Princess Novena Mace.” I say simply as if my name is reason enough to be here.

The girl’s mouth goes slack in shock and then recovering, she sinks into a courtesy, “Forgive me my rudeness. I did not recognise you, your highness. I am under a lot of stress at the moment, please take no offence-”

“Please, no need for all that.” I wave her apology off, “I want to know what happened to Axel.”

The maid's eyes fill with tears again, her voice trembles as she speaks, “The duke had him beaten and dosed to keep him subdued… since he is uh, well trained.” She seems to fall all over her words. The girl suddenly latches onto my arm, her voice turning into a hiss, “Please don’t say you heard it from me! Lord Bonnesse is an unkind man! He will punish me greatly – look at what he does to his own son!” she frantically searches my face, eyes wide with unchecked fear, her fingers digging into my skin.

I resist the urge to shrug her off immediately.

“Does the duke know you are tending to his son?”

“Yes, your highness.” Her voice drops as if afraid that the walls might have ears, “This is a usual thing for the duke to do and I always tend to the young lord after, but” her voice shakes, “it’s never been this bad before. You have to help him, get him proper medical attention.”

Panic sets in. Does she think his life is in danger? Is Axel on death's door?

“How quickly can you get him ready to leave?”

The maid shakes her head in confusion, “Will the duke let you take him? I don't think that he will let you walk out of here with him?” She seems doubtful, “He cannot even walk-”

“I am not alone. We have come looking for Lord Axel. Get him ready and do it quickly.” I hurry her before backing out of the bathroom and running to the window, stopping only momentarily to allow my eyes to adjust back to the darkness.

All three heads snap up at my appearance.

“What is taking so long Novena, is he there or not?” Ragnar snaps irately.

“He is, but it’s not good. He’s been…drugged and beaten. He’s going to need medical attention as soon as possible.”

Emmaline gasps, covering her mouth in shock at my words. The two men react very differently. Ragnar’s face is a picture of absolute rage, yet shock doesn’t feature, not even for a moment – as if he expected this much, as if he knew what awaited us here. William shakes his dark head, almost guiltily, like he is somehow responsible for what has happened to Axel.

“There’s a maid in here with me. We are going to attempt to get him through the window. Get ready to catch him.” I see Ragnar start to open his mouth, but I continue speaking, “Oh, and Emmaline?”

“Yeah?” she asks.

“Get your ass up here.” I say before leaving them standing there on the stone pathway staring.

Following the light back towards the bathroom, I find the bath drained of its hot water and Axel being carefully dressed by the servant girl. He’s head is rolling against the wall as she struggles with his clothes. I rush over, grabbing hold of him to steady his uncontrolled movements. The servant girl is on her knees beside the white tub, looking more and more concerned.

She hisses in frustration, “I had to get two very large men to carry him in here and even they struggled. I can’t see the two of us doing a better job and still managing to get him out a window.”

“There’s three of us.” I correct her just as Emmaline pops her red head through the door.

“Hi.” Emmaline smiles awkwardly, even waving a slender hand to complete the look.

I watch her as she analyzes Axel. He is completely covered up at this point, his injuries hidden beneath the clothes the young servant girl dressed him in. It makes sense that his father wouldn’t touch Axel’s face, otherwise his abuse would have been much harder to keep secret if his son showed up after every visit with a bruised face. How many times has Axel come back, wincing and limping, damage caused by his own father? How many times have I ignored it, thinking it from the training arena?

“Let’s do this then.” I say, cold determination setting in.

Climbing into the large tub. I grab hold of Axel under his limp arms as the servant girl pulls his legs to the side. Emmaline and the girl take hold of his arms as I bend to lift him up. Working together, the three of us manage to get Axel onto his feet and stay there without collapsing. Axel groans in protest.

“Oh, none of that!” Emmaline snaps as she struggles to support him, “You either with us or we are leaving you!” she whisper-shouts at him.

“Em!”

“What? He’s not exactly light!” she complains bitterly.

“Just get him to the window for goodness sake!”

Axel must have been awake enough to use the last of his strength to help the three of us get him to the window. The short distance was no easy feat considering Axel’s weight in muscle and his unsteady feet. We lean him against the closest wall to the window. Emmaline and the servant girl rest as I check to see if Ragnar and William are still in place to catch Axel.

Seeing them both in place I say, “Get ready.”

Fretfully we angle Axel towards the window. My stress levels seem to be suffocating me at the thought of this absurd plan ending rather badly and at Axel’s expense. I glance apprehensively at Emmaline before we seat Axel on the window ledge. I hold my breath as we swing Axel’s leg out to dangle above Ragnar and William below. Axel sways while the servant girl does her best to hold on to him.

“Okay, now let’s try to lower him as far as we can.” I tell my two happy helpers who both frown at the thought, “Ready?” I call out to the two guys below.

At the nodding of their heads shaded in darkness, we hold tight to Axel as he slides from his perch. I feel my heart slam into my chest as my grip slips. I hear Emmaline and the servant girl grunt and groan with the effort to hold him as the men below take hold of his middle.

“Let go!” William calls and with some reluctance we do.

Axel falls a short way to his friends. There’s a collective sigh of relief as we watch Ragnar and William safely place him on the ground. Next Emmaline takes her place on the ledge and slips into William and Ragnar’s waiting arms.

I smile thankfully at the young brown-haired girl, “I won’t forget your help this night. What’s your name?”

The servant girl returns my smile with a dimpled one, “Mia Evans.” And then I too am making my way back out the window. Once on the ground, I look up to see Mia closing the window behind me, covering our tracks. I think of how easily she risked herself to help the Lord, someone who would probably never see her as anything more than a servant. I remember her crying over the man abused by his own father, the clear compassion and sorrow evident. As we head back for the cars, I watch how delicately Ragnar and William carry Axel, as if he might break, despite he’s size – the look of anguish as they hurry to get him away from this horror house. I wonder what will happen now that more of us know what’s happening here. I think about it the rest of the way home.