Everything Under The Covers (Plastic Wrappers)

Mixed Signals

2016

I woke up from a nightmare, from which a python had curled around my body, suffocating me as it continued twisting. My body felt weak, my skin was clammy and I was a little bit cold. I could feel some dried blood creased on my face, mixed with dried tears and mucus. My stomach was cramped and kept hurting as the disoriented feeling faded from my consciousness as I remembered my situation. I felt dehydrated and was desperately thirsty while struggling to get up from where I was. Opposite where I sat, I sighted a figure with its head thrown back, and it was deadly still; as if dead. It was wearing a thin green filigree gown that felt fairly familiar. The body suddenly jerked up, raising it's head to look at me, silver eyes wide, pupils blown out. It was the witch Ralia and she looked as bad as I felt. Dry blood stains dribbled down her mouth and her hair was in major disarray.

"The young prince and Herr Konrad are inside, drawing up the contract. They should be out soon after everything is concluded " She gave a high-pitched giggle, a feverish look in her eyes.

"You're very easy to break, precious child." Closing her fist, she smiled menacingly at me with a chuckle.

It seems whatever she had done to me had also affected her as well. I could only look at her wearyly, too exhausted to fight. After a while, both men came down the patio escorted by some guards. Dev wore a grave expression on his face. He also looked exhausted. My still muddled mind, tried to pierce together bits and pieces of lost memories. I tried to recall the events of the past several hours. I didn't know how long I might have been passed out. Devin came by my seat and picked me up. Turning his back to the crazy lady and her companion, he wished them goodbye.

"I hope you keep your end of the bargain, uncle." The Duke chuckled and motioned for one of his men to carry Ralia out of the compound.

"I will be submitting our agreement to the counsel. Until we need to meet again cousin, goodbye precious one" he said to us with a flourish, and left.

Dev hefted me up the stairs and carried me into the house. Depositing me on a long seatee in the parlour, he gently held my face and stroked my hair. It felt nice. I covered the hand he held to my face stroking it and staring at his eyes. It felt so nice. I felt so comfortable. So warm, so loved. I looked into his blue eyes, enchanted by how beautiful they were, how calm they looked. I missed seeing the flashes of purple. "So much better like this, instead of being all black. Why would they be black though?" I asked myself, confused.

His eyes were now a deep sea blue, not purple like they had been earlier. I stared at him confused. The memories came flooding in. I gasped in panic as I remembered the last time I had looked inside his eyes before I'd blacked out. Konrad and my a*******n, Ralia and the contract.

"THE CONTRACT!" I screeched hoarsely in horror. Remembering the bargain Dev had made with his uncle to save me.

"Omagosh Dev I'm so sorr..."

"Dont worry about me". He shushed

"I just want you safe baby bear. I need to make sure nothing they did to you is permanent." He held my face again and silently looked into my eyes. It felt like time had paused. Like I was in stasis. I could feel his consciousness prodding into my mind. Caressing my thoughts softly, slowly as our minds became intertwined. We looked at each other for what felt like hours. Our breaths came faster in laboured pants.

He angled his face closer and suddenly kissed me in an explosion of our minds and bodies meeting. I gripped him hungrily as we kissed. It felt right. I felt whole. I was safe. I could feel his anger, his resentment at being forced and his surprise at the strange passion he'd let release. Then, the realization of what he was doing came. What WE were doing. He stopped immediately and I felt his retreat from my mind. I protested his withdrawal. Trying unsuccessfully to draw his lips towards mine again. He moved away from me, standing up to face the window.

"I'm sorry for doing that to you " he apologized before I could protest.

" I've checked your mind to remove any residual traces of their influence over you. You'll be fine."

Guilt burned hotly as I remembered the sacrifice he had made to save my life. I knew he and my stepfather were actively planning to install him in the country's monarchy as their future leader. He had been preparing for it, his whole life "and I, with my stupid..." I felt his hand on my face, startled at his touch. In my misery. I hadn't felt him coming.

"You don't have to worry about me, Dove. Today has shown me how much I underestimated Konrad and his allies. I will be better prepared when I plan my revenge. There are several ways of breaking contracts. This one will definitely be broken." He finished with an angry gleam in his eye.

He pulled out a lump of covered cloth and unveiled a crudely made white doll with bits of hair attached. That must have been what they used to torment me, remembering how she played with my hair when we'd met earlier. He scowled and moved to the kitchen to dispose of it. The house was still silent as I shivered alone on the couch.

"I guess there was still no electricity. They must have cut the power". I stared at the analog clock and saw that it was only 9:30 pm. He came back and put his arm around me. I sobbed in relief

"Don't worry. They'll leave us alone. I'll get my phone to call Kendra. She'll take you to the hospital to get checked out. Why don't you try to take a shower, before she comes? For her safety, I don't want her to be aware of anything that went on today. I also don't want this reaching my father until I inform him myself. Are we clear?" he said sternly, morphing back to the cold older sibling I was used to. The one that had seemed to have forgotten that he'd just kissed me.

"She would want to know why I'm going to the hospital" I countered.

"We'll tell her, in your panic at being left alone you fell down the stairs. Anyways, it's not in her place to ask questions. Do as I've told you", I stood up to obey his earlier commands as he moved towards his bedroom probably to shower and change as well.

A hurried Kendra showed up after a while and took me to the hospital. The doctor prescribed some drugs to help with the pain of a monstrous headache and severe body pains from my big adventure. As we returned, the electricity was turned back on. Everything looked normal as it had always been. I shivered, remembering the promise I had made, to keep everything that happened a secret. It was already midnight by the time I returned to the house. The lights in his room turned on. Reassured at his presence, I went up to my bedroom after taking the pills and falling into a deep slumber. I woke up at 12 noon the next day disoriented and famished, moving groggily towards the kitchen. The house was back in full swing. I heard the staff moving around, the landscapers in the yard and a cheerful kendra greeting me with a late good morning and dropping my breakfast? Lunch? Brunch? on the table.

" I wanted to wake you earlier. But the young master told us to let you sleep in. I thought better of it. You have been so stressed about school and your other activities. You deserve a whole full day of rest"

I slowly ate as she continued to chatter about the day, and her surprise to receive the call that I'd had a domestic accident.

"I was a bit shocked that he sent us all home early . But I couldn't look a gift-horse in the mouth. I'd assumed you both were going somewhere together. So it didn't occur to me to take you along. He gave me such a tongue lashing before he left about your safety and it being our topmost priority. Of course, I am already well aware.."

"He left?" I choked out, shocked at news of his departure.

"Why yes, early this morning, he said he had some business to attend to and he would be seeing his father..." I didn't wait for her to finish. I dashed to his room, finding it empty. Fury quickly replaced my hunger. I stalked to my room in dissapointment.

" I can believe he'd abandoned me, after everything." I muttered.

Entering my room, I locked it and found my phone charging. Turning it on, to call and blast him. Only to see alerts and several notifications from my manager and group members. I found a simple message from him from 7:15am detailed.

I'll see you soon. Feeling dejected, I fall back into bed with my covers over my head, crying ferociously while Kendra knocks on my door from outside. Reminding me to take my medicine.