One Hundred Tears In The Sunset

Chapter Seven

* If it was only as simple as a beating heart,

Then you would be mine,

And I would be yours.

*

"You will have to visit my home lands and play." The King of Spain clasped his hands gently around her arms. He was a fine man, milky blue eyes, and long brown wavy hair that sat under a huge golden crown. A V shaped scar crossed down his firm cheek bone,

"It would be an honour," She smiled with genuine warmth,

"I mean it Princess. Your father was a strong man and his daughter is a strong women. Spain is in need of it's own Princess, if you ever bore of England and the rain, things could be arranged." His milky blue eyes were serious Teyha realised in shock. She could run to Spain. She could lead a new life without her Uncle or, Arthur or the death of her parents tormenting every corner,

"England needs me." She whispered,

"England has many waiting rulers after you. I know what it is like to lose everything Teyha. I understand your hesitation. If you ever change your mind, a letter is all that would be needed."

"Thank you Sir." She curtsied, and carefully made her way towards her carriage fighting a wave of dizziness that overcome her once again. It will be a fever, from the infection, She thought with satisfaction. A high moon was sitting in the sky grinning down on the many ladies and gentlemen leaving the dance. Their jewels glinting like a rainbow of treasure. She spotted Gem and Brooke nearby. Again Teyha was struck by how different he looked in his evening wear. He belongs down here with us, She thought silently just as a crystal crack clap of gunfire echoed into the night air. A shocked silence followed, and then panic as screams broke out,

"Get inside now!" Brooke had stiffened in alert his blue eyes racing around the street. Teyha couldn't move. She stared around as a string of bodies fell down around her, "Get inside!" Brooke's breath was hot on her neck as he tried to push her fiercely into the carriage,

"I say, I do like the look of that dress." A rotten voice laughed in front of them. The Princess stared at the thin stringy figure of a man who spoke. His yellow gappy teeth showed when he smiled at them. The man's clothes were filthy and covered in black stains. He wore a hat on top of straw blond hair,

"Touch her and you die." Brooke growled softly. The man laughed and raised a small black pistol,

"Move stable man. We're fighting on the same side. This rich lot and their money, they got too much of it. So we decided to take some of it, didn't we?" He laughed again. Teyha felt Brooke stiffen and move away from her. The ugly man grinned, "Seen sense then?" The princess's insides had frozen. Terror swamping her. She stared at Brooke in utter fear but he didn't even glance her way,

"I suppose so." He shrugged and watched as the Robber jumped forwards,

"Filthy rich. Are you so filthy in a man's bed?" His rancid breath covered her and she stumbled back against the carriage. Just as a dirty long hand was about to touch Teyha. The Robber had disappeared. Teyha saw a flash of blue eyes as Brooke wrestled him to the ground, punching his face against the cobbles. He is strong. She noticed watching as Brooke outfought the guy so easily, and he has fought before. The Robber tried to hit him but Brooke swerved, and slammed his cheek against the road. The man cried out struggling to his feet when Brooke pulled away. There were other men fighting around them, the loud smacks of flesh thudding together echoed along with shrieks. Finally loud whistles rang out in the night air as a swarm of blue police uniforms raced inside the crowds. The Robber stared at them for a moment before running through the crowds,

"You should have gone inside." Brooke grabbed Teyha's arm, and she gasped out in pain pulling her hand back, "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

"No I..."

"Excuse me?" A police man interrupted them, "If you're both OK? We're going to have to ask you to move your carriage."

"Certainly." Teyha nodded,

"Princess Teyha?" The police man's eyes widened in shock and then filled in sadness, "I was upset to hear about your parents."

"Yes, thank you. Please Brooke, I would like to go home now."

****

The carriage rocked gently down the lone road. Teyha slumped her face against the walls, her grey eyes closed. She kept seeing bodies falling to cobbles around her, kept remember her parent's lifeless bodies at her feet, and then the carriage stopped,

"Is everything OK?" She called out,

"That depends." Was Brooke's muffled reply, "Stay." His blue eyes flashed in the window for a moment as silence followed. She held her breath in terror. Perhaps the men had came back, perhaps they would,

"Now then," Brooke reappeared at the window, "Can we talk?" He asked gently,

"Where did you go?" She gasped,

"I went to make sure we were alone." He spoke softly and opened the door, "Will you walk with me? Please?" She frowned but took his outstretched fingers gently. Brooke didn't let go of her when she was outside. Instead he led her towards a few clumps of trees. The small road around them was deserted and dusty as if it was rarely used,

"What's wrong?" She asked again. He didn't answer until they stood beside a huge glittering lake. The surface was smooth and grey, the dark clear sky sprinkling stars down upon it's gentle ripples. The full moon bathed the water in pure white light. It seemed almost unreal. A warm breeze sang out cradling her face,

"I'm not sure what's wrong. Perhaps..." And then with an iron grip bound down on Teyha's hand, Brooke ripped her white glove from her hand. She gasped trying to pull away, but he held on tight bringing the yellow burn into the glowing moonlight staring at it closely. She bit her lip and turned her face,

"Brooke I,"

"How did this happen?" His voice was deadly soft,

"I was by the oven and..."

"You didn't get it treated? Why would a Princess be near an oven? You're speaking shite to me Teyha!" He flung her hand away and glared at the lake,

"I'm not Brooke."

"Shh," He cut into her words again. Teyha silenced as if he were the Prince and she a maid, "The truth. Please Teyha." A whisper. She bit her lip again and fought back the urge to cry. Why did he do this to her? Why couldn't he just let it be? She would never tell anyone. It was too much shame to utter the words,

"The oven."

"Why are you lying? I can see it in your eyes. You lot always lie." Shock flooded Teyha and she stumbled back. The stars were watching her with wide bright eyes as she tripped to the grass. It was cold now, the night air seemed frozen and frigid even though moments ago a summer breeze had been laughing at her,

"I...I...." Her words caught as she tried to speak,

"No don't bother to tell me any lies. I can't stand lies." He turned from her, took a step forward,

"Brooke. Please I am scared." Her voice was soft. For a moment she didn't know if he had heard her because he stood so still.

Brooke stood with his back away from her. It was easier, he thought, to not look at her,

"It's infected you know." He grunted staring at the smooth lake that stretched beyond him,

"Yes. I know." Her voice was soft, gentle, almost as if she was pleading him, "How, how do you..."

"How do I know your lying?" He finished her words,

"Yes." He considered telling her the truth, considered the look on her face if he told her everything he knew., everything he saw, instead Brooke twisted the lid of his metal flask and brought it too his lips,

"I am not a fool Teyha." But I am. He thought again, I should not have stopped here. I should have carried on and took her straight home,

"I have never said you were." Her breath caught as she finished the words softly. He couldn't help looking down at Teyha then. She was sitting on the grass, her hair pinned weakly by one last pin. Her grey eyes open wide, and full of uncertainty instead of the cold mask she usually hid behind. The pink dress was ripped in several places that showed bare white leg flesh, but Teyha hardly seemed to notice, her lips were slightly open, damp as if she had just licked them. Brooke's hands tightened into fists as he struggled not to stare,

"Your bruise." She whispered and drew his look once again,

"Came from a moody mare called Gem." He mumbled and for a moment Teyha's lips curled at the edges,

"She is quite a moody."

"Why is it infected Teyha?" He broke into her words. No, he was not finished with the conversation yet. The burn was yellow and gooey. The rest of her arm had been flushed red. An infection was spreading like a disease,

"The treatment is not working, but Uncle is finding a new remedy for it." She didn't meet his eyes. Brooke turned again, hastily drank some more vodka from his flask. And again, more lies. Yet this time he manged to keep the anger inside him. It may have been the lost look in the Princess's broken grey eyes, it may have been the vodka, or perhaps it was that he just couldn't be bothered. What is it to me what the Princess does with her burn? And now I am lying to myself. He sighed softly. It use to simple before she came. I hated Them.They hated me and now, how can I say They are all the same? When before me lays one of Them. Yet I can not bring myself to hate her. However it is easy to make one hate myself. I can not let her grow friendly with me anymore. This has gone on long enough. It will only hurt her in the end,

"Brooke?" Her soft voice broken into his thoughts as he stared ahead at the lake ignoring her.

Everyone has that choice. The choice they think they make but truly fate decides.

"I am sorry Princess. I have spoke out of term. If you would, I should get you back to the castle." His voice sounded cold even to him...and formal,

"Don't you dare!" She snapped. Her temper had sprang from no where, "You said we were friends."

"I am a servant!" He rounded on her, knowing his face would be full of rage and his eyes would be blazing in a hate she would never understand, "I am a servant! You are a Princess. We can not be friends!" He watched as she sprung to her heels and glared at him,

"I do not care what you are! I do not care if you clean shoes for a living! I do not care if you are a thief like those men back at the dance Brooke! How many times! I DO NOT CARE!" She shouted loud enough to make an owl fly from the rooftop of a tree, it's wings thumping in the silence which followed. Teyha's cheeks were red and flushed, grass swamped her blond hair. He took a step towards her without thinking until they were face to face. This close to her he could see small specks of tiny blue flakes in her grey eyes that were slowly fading of anger. She was breathing heavily. Her heart seemed to beat between them,

"Oh Teyha." He whispered and lifted his fingers to her hair without even realising what he was doing.

This isn't making her hate you, his brain nagged at him.

Teyha was startled. She wasn't breathing, her cheeks were flushing. The air suddenly was hot again, too hot to swallow down her lungs. Brooke's fingers reached out slowly and he ran between her locks. He pulled the pin from her hair and she felt the strands tumble down tickling her neck. His blue eyes were masked of emotion, as he stared at her still holding the metal pin between his fingers,

"You smell of lemon grass." He muttered leaning forward to rest his cheek against hers, strong hands still burrowed in her hair twisting them around his finger tips. She closed her eyes, a warm buttery feeling was spreading inside her, it was a dizzy heat that stretched in her every limb. Teyha never wanted it to stop. What ever this feeling was she never wanted it to end. It was as if Brooke heard her thoughts, and he quickly stepped away. His hands clenched in tight fists beside him,

"It's very late Teyha. I have to get you back." She wanted to argue but the look on Brooke's face stopped the words she was about to say,

"Very well." Was all she muttered before following him back to the carriage.

*********

Her Uncle was waiting for her when they entered the castle gates Teyha saw with shock. She thought he would be asleep, he had said he would see her in the morning not tonight. She panicked and looked down at her dress it was muddy and ripped. Her hair was everywhere. He would know something had happened,

"Where the Devil have you been?" Was the first words that left his lush red lips when she stepped out of the carriage. Teyha noticed that Brooke's face had paled slightly,

"There was an attack at the end of the Ball." She told him softly, "Mr Heathingdale made sure I got back safely."

"Inside Teyha please. We will speak in the morning."

"Uncle I really should..."

"Inside Teyha." His voice was dangerously quiet,

"But I have to tell you..." The sting against her cheek didn't hurt until she realised what had happened,

"Do not back chat me. I said inside!" Her uncle had slapped her. Brooke had stiffened into a statue. He looked ready to jump from the carriage but Teyha caught his eye and something flickered in over his face,

"Fine." She hissed. The Princess turned swiftly on her heels, and walked into the huge doors of her prison without looking back.

****

"Follow me." Was all Thomas Blairs said to Brooke. He was so sure that Brooke would follow that the man didn't look back. Brooke jumped softly from the carriage and limped after him. They walked into the gloomy woodlands. The moon was round and white casting soft light onto the green of the trees, owls and foxes called loudly into the air and the rumble of the stream splashed in the distance of the shadows. It was a warm night, a typical England summer night where a sudden cold breeze could spring from no where,

"I told you not to talk to her." Mr Blairs stopped and glared at him,

"Well that would have been impossible."

"What did you say?!" Thomas snapped. Brooke put his hands in his pockets and glared at the man,

"Well she asked how long it would to get to London and I said about an hour and then she commented on the weather and I..."

"You know that's not what I meant!"

"I told her nothing!" Brooke growled. Thomas glared at him with brown beady eyes,

"It is in your best interest to do as I say, or I will make you regret every last minute of your pathetic life, I told you last night. I told you not to say a word to her." Brooke lifted his hand to the bruise on his face without thinking. Thomas grinned, "Perhaps another lesson would help you remember that I control your life."

"I am not a boy anymore. I can leave here. I am a man." But Brooke's words sounded weak even as he said them,

"You are not a man! You are a w***e's son who made it big once. you are nothing Brooke." Thomas shook his head, "I let you outside the castle walls and you disobey me the moment you step from them."

"I didn't do anything."

"You are not to talk to her again Brooke. You keep her away from the woodlands. I swear upon God if I find out she's even uttered a word to you, I'll make your miserable life worse." Mr Blair's shock his head again and stared at Brooke, "There was a time I was proud of you, but now you're pathetic." Then he was gone darting back towards the castle without another word. Brooke stared at the sky, stared at the stars and slowly limped back towards the stone stables.

Perhaps I will need that rope after all.