ON HOLD Perfect Suffering: The Eternal Lovers Vol. 1

The New Life

There is somebody out there for you,

somebody who will get your soul

and tend to your heart like a flower.

but you must be patient

as the rain

as the sea

as the sky

because finding love

is part of nature,

and will not bloom

until it's season,

-unknown

ELIZABETH.

At this point in my suffering I became peaceful. I grew tired of my cries and the silence that followed that I learned to accept it. Every once in a while, I’d feel a rumble or a quake; thinking he'd finally unearth me. Now, it no longer moves me. Until that faithful morning when the ground moved enough for the sun to shine down on me. I assumed God had finally took pity on my soul. Or maybe he just wanted to laugh.

A voice caught my ears and I perched my head towards it. "Arthur?" I hadn't heard my own words in what felt like eons. The voice grew louder and I knew he'd finally come for me. Though my bound body was half settled into the sediment, my bones still felt as they were fresh and young. I could hear foots steps approaching and my heart began to flutter. Soon he was right above me, the door creaking and spilling dirt on my face. “Arthur—” my plea was cut short as the door collapse with a man falling beneath it. As the dirt cloud cleared my heart sank as I realized it was in fact not him. It was a man in armor, with his sword immediately readied to me; he was shocked to see me down here. Our eyes met and I looked away in fear, believing him to be a knight from Edward’s army. He quickly got to his feet as he noticed I was bound. “Who are you?” He questioned and I didn’t say a word. He noticed I was frightened and sheathed his sword. He then got onto one knee and announced himself. “I am sub-commander Liam of the royal guard for our lord, King Darius.” He spoke highly. “Darius?” I questioned realizing I was probably imprisoned longer than I realized. He nodded then called for the other guards to tend to me.

"What is your name?" They removed the ropes from my neck and body and I finally was freed. "Elizabeth. My name is Elizabeth." I coyly spoke still too scared to trust them. They hesitantly glanced at each other and then discussed what to do. "We must inform the king the nature of this predicament. We cannot leave her." He helped me up carefully. "What is the year?" I asked unaware that my survival would be impossible in such a condition. They looked in disbelief, "I-It is the year of our lord 902. How long were you imprisoned?”

—

I pretended as if I was weak and feeble to avoid suspicion from the guards. I couldn’t make out the land anymore which confirmed I had been locked away far past my years. We traveled in a war carriage soon approaching a castle that was not of Edward’s or any royal family I knew before. They shielded me from on lookers whose faces I didn’t recognize. I could only imagine how decrepit I looked to them. We entered the castle where the commoners flocked around us. “Back! Leave her be!” Liam shouted not wanting them to upset me. They then placed me in a private room outside of the castle with nothing but kettle of water and a fireplace. I could hear murmurs outside the room as I sat in the corner fearfully. Soon, a more decorated kingsman came in in order to better assess me. He cautiously held one hand out while gripping his sword with the other. I coward away still traumatized. "We know you must be terrified. You must know we do not wish to cause you harm. It's just we're having a hard time understanding how you came to be imprisoned in the forest. Where are you from?" He questioned me softly. I shook my head, "I-I have no memory of what happened before I was...locked away." I lied and choked up as I mentally relived what happened. Tears began falling down my face. He approached further and I winced. He backed away in pity as someone else approached the room. He quickly answered to them, "My lord, I would advise against seeing her. She is very timid and is not well adjusted." He spoke cautiously. "Well that's because you've got her locked away! She's probably scared for her life all over again!" The man pushed him aside. A tall prominent looking figure came in with nothing but a pelted robe on. His hair was black, waved past his shoulder, with a fully bearded face. He immediately turned to a look of shock as if he recognized me or...had just fallen in love. I turned away from him no longer wanting to trust a kind face. "I'm sorry to frighten you. I was just notified of the matter and immediately came to see you." He held out his hand as well. "I just want to be let go." I protested looking him in the eye. "Well I can't possibly allow you to in such an awful condition." He answered back. "Have the ladies come and take her to the south wing to be tended to." He ordered the others. I turned to him moved by his compassion and he welcomed me. "I am King— ... My name is Darius and I will ensure you that we will find whoever committed this heinous act towards you. No stone will go unturned." He eyes melted into mine.

—

I was escorted to the south wing by a group of handmaids. “What evil man could do such a thing. You poor soul.” The head maid brushed my hair out of my face. “A vile one that is.” Another responded. I blankly stared as they removed my garments causing them all to gasp. “You haven’t got a single scratch or blemish on you. How can that be?” They questioned and I said nothing. They then began cleaning the dirt off of my hair and body grooming me meticulously. By the time they were done, my hair was nicely pinned and I wore a beautiful dress robe. They then guided me to a mirror and I was taken aback by the sight of myself. I still looked as I were, no aging, no scars, no flaws. I then noticed Darius in my reflection standing in the doorway. The maids left the room single file as he approached me. His calm demeanor no longer frightened as he stared in awe. I didn’t move as he came closer running the back of his hand over my cheek. “No real man would ever cause a beautiful woman pain. Whoever he is, I’ll have him hanged without hesitation.” He whispered and my heart felt like it was beating once again, even though it wasn’t. We stared into each other’s eyes for what felt like hours before it was broken by one of the maids. “The dinner is ready my lord.” She bowed exiting again. “Dinner?” I asked as he took my hand. “I can’t send you off on an empty stomach now can I?” He smiled.

I was brought into the great hall as we were followed by whispering maids. There, stood a table for two with a barrage of different dishes and a pitcher of wine. "I can only imagine the filth you had to consume to survive. I wouldn’t feel complete if I didn’t treat you properly." He sat us both down eagerly. He motioned the maids to leave once again and they scurried away. "I see you have quite the positive influence." I sipped a bit of wine. "A king is only as good as his people. and I try to maintain a welcoming spirit." He shrugged. We began dining and I joyfully sighed at the taste of warm food even if it couldn’t give me proper sustenance. “There will be a carriage for you in the morning that will take you wherever it is you need to go. Though I’m not so sure you know where that is?” He suspiciously inquired. I gave a slightly smile, “Well I’m sure I’ll find my way eventually. Wherever ‘that’ is.” I adverted my eyes. Soon the hall doors swung open.

"My lord! I came as soon as I heard!" A shaky voice rushed towards the table and my heart sank into my stomach. "Ah Arthur!" He gleefully stood up. I refused to believe my ears and stared into my lap. "Is it true? Y-you said she was..." he trailed and I could sense his eyes on me. "Awful I know. But, I want you and your men to get to the bottom of this. Barbaric thing to do to a woman don't you think?" They conversed. "Very." I sternly spoke finally looking up. The room fell cold as our eyes finally met. Even though my heart grew full of anger, it still flutter to see the man I still painfully loved. Arthur, on the other hand, looked as if he had seen a ghost. I practically felt like one. "Ah yes Elizabeth, this is Arthur the head of the royal guard. This man has gotten me through the most brutalist of wars. I trust him with my life." He boasted presenting him to greet me. "Is that so? Then I’m sure with that track record he could take down an entire mob singlehanded." My voice grew cold. "She’s still in a bit of shock leave us." He shooed Arthur away. I quickly grabbed the knife from my plate. “If you will excuse me I’ve seem to have lost my appetite. Is there a washroom?” I excused myself and he gladly pointed me to one.

—

As I walked down the hall I instinctively knew Arthur would follow me. I acted as if I couldn’t tell he was trailing me and approached the washroom. As I reached for the door, I quickly turned pulling us both into it. I dragged him against the wall holding the knife to his throat. “I can explain!” He held his hands up. “Well start talking, because I have no reason not to slit your throat just for fun" I scornfully hissed. “I was the one who ordered the kingsman to search the forest.” He quickly explained, “I told them it was to search for enemy hideouts and knew they’d find you.” I slightly lowered the knife. “Still doesn’t change what you did.” My eyes swelled. “We could of run away together. But instead you locked me away like an animal.” I pressed the knife almost breaking skin. “After what we did? We wouldn’t have made it past the river let alone to freedom. I couldn’t let them be the ones to take you away from me. So I hid you, until we were no longer a threat. Let alone remembered.” Each of his words hurt me more than when he betrayed me. I collected my thoughts then backed away. “I never want you to approach me in an ill manner ever." I held the knife to him. "And if you ever reveal who we are I promise; I will give you a pain that is worse than death and hell itself." I turned away leaving the washroom.

—

As nightfall grew high, Darius guided me to my own personal quarters with a lantern. “I can’t imagine you’d give this room to any ole commoner?” I questioned as I stared in awe at the architecture. “Well this was originally meant for someone special, but they were never able to use it.” He slightly choked. “Plus, I say you deserve to be treated like a Queen even if it’s for a night.” He placed the lantern on the mantle using it to light the fireplace. I hesitantly stood near the perfectly decorated bed looking back to him. “Do you mind?” I signaled to my tied dress robe. He helped untie the back and I held it up so it wouldn’t fall off. I could sense his nervousness then turned around to him. “The courting, the kindness, the generosity. It makes me assume there isn’t a Queen or else you’d be treating her and not me.” I said softly. He looked down almost triggered by my words. “There was— almost was. But she passed away before I could.” He coughed on his words. “When I look at you, I can’t help but feel even more love in my heart than when I saw her. Your innocence reminds me of her.” He stared back at me. I then took his hand placing it on my bare chest. “I think I might hold off on that carriage for now.” I whispered slowly moving in as I kissed him in the lips.

—

At that moment I knew that if my life were to be eternally damned; I would at least give myself the life I’ve dreamt of since I was a little girl. Even if it was with a man I knew I’d never truly love. But who needs love when you can be royalty.