Chapter 4 - Reach Up For The Sunrise

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Katie's P.O.V

I dusted off my hands and let a big yawn. I was done.
The doors opened, as the sun was starting to rise, John walking in, being sure to not scare me this time.
"Whoa... It's been so long..." He smiled, actually smiled, looking around the room.
"Can't fix the windows, though..." I looked up to the broken glass.
"I'll figure that out. You've done enough." He came over to me. "It's just like it was..." He smiled brightly.
"You think?" I asked him.
"Of course! I remember my father in his chair, there, reading me stories, when I was a boy!" John grinned, pointing over to the armchair in front of the fire.
"You... Wait, what?" I looked at him. "You mean you lived in the palace, with the prince?!"
He stopped and looked back at me. "I knew him..." He froze. "We were friends... A long time ago."
"You lived in the castle... That's why you're here!" I frowned. "Were you here when the fire...?" I didn't dare finish my question.
"I got lucky..." He whispered, turning his back to me.

I bit my lip, frowning. He was here...
"If you were here, and the royals left, then..." My mind was racing. "Oh, my Gosh! They never left us! They died here?!" I asked him.
"ENOUGH!" He shouted out.
I took a step back from him.
"Go." He whispered.
"Yeah... OK..." I nodded. "W-What can I take?"
"Nothing." He refused to look at me.
"But we had a deal?" I looked at him.
"Get out of here. You shouldn't be here! Why did you come here?!" He started screaming at me.
I staggered back, my back to a table.
He looked back at me, his eyes dark. "Go."

I frowned, scared, grabbing my bag off the table cautiously, eyes on him, wanting to keep distance between us.
I ran out the room, and all the way down to the door. I ran out, forgetting to close it behind me, running down the stone steps, and over to Hadley's horse, which stood munching on the almost dying grass.
I grabbed the reins and struggled onto his back, riding out without a second thought.
We followed the old dirt road, as fast as we could, and zoomed through the city, all the way to the docks.
"GARY!" I cried out for my brother.

My brothers, John, Steve, and Tony were gathered outside our building.
"Whoa!" Tony held his hands up, standing himself in front of his horse. "Easy! Easy boy!"
I climbed down, with Steve's help. "What's wrong?" He asked.
"Gary!" I ran to him, hugging his neck.
"Where've you been? We were about to go to the castle to find you!" He held onto me.
"You won't believe it! I've so much to tell you! Both of you." I looked over to Martin.
"Let's calm down, OK? Let's talk inside." He held my arms, keeping me steady.
"Did you find anything? Where's your cape?" Martin asked, as Gary took me inside.

I sat at the table, the boys all scattered around near, my cape forgotten at the castle, as I told them everything, minus the part of John living in the castle, having known the prince.
"And you sent her up there alone?" Tony looked to my brothers, standing tall.
"How were we to know some phantom man would be up there?!" Gary defended himself, crouched to my right, listening to my every word.
"I couldn't get anything... I'm sorry." I frowned.
"Hey, it's OK. What matters is you're back here, safe." Martin gave me a soft smiled, leaning back on the wall behind me.
I looked back at him, smiling softly. "Thank you."
"We'll find another way to get some money..." Gary smiled.
"You've tried everything else." Tony started up. "I've watched you three. I've turned a blind eye, I've defended you each, against the city folk."
"There has to be something..." I frowned.
"I have money... I have a house, a business, respect." Tony looked at me.
"Rub it in." I looked up at him, with a smirk.
"Marry me." He looked me in the eyes.
"Whoa!" Gary laughed, holding his hands up. "It ain't come to that, yet!" 
"What's your plan, then?" Tony asked my brother, as there was a knocking on the door.

Martin, in the awkward silence, was the one to go answer it.
"Hello?" He asked, the door hiding who it was.
"Excuse me, I'm looking for Katie Bolan-Kemp. I was told I'd find her here."
I knew that voice. "It's him." I got up and hurried over to the door.
He stood tall, wearing his tattered clothes, holding my cape.
"You..." I looked up at him.
"You left this... And this." He held up my cape and another vase, identical to the one he smashed.
"John..." I took the items. "Thank you."
"Him?" Martin looked at me, nodding to the masked man.
"John, this is my brother, Martin." I introduced him.
"Pleasure." John gave a straight faced nod to him. "May I speak alone with your sister, please?"
"Uh... Of course." Martin didn't know what to say.
"Let's take a walk. I'll be back." I gave Martin the vase, putting my cape on.
"Right... Don't be too long, though. We will send a search party." He teased.
I smiled, giving him a hug, before following John outside.

We walked away from the city folk, heading along the docks.
John walked tall, with his hands behind his back, keeping to himself.
"What did you want to talk about?" I asked him, walking on his left.
"You told me of your family situation, but I didn't believe you until now... I treated you badly, breaking my end of the deal. I'm sorry." He started. "I wish to offer you a job. In the castle."
"Really?" I asked him. "Cleaning?"
"Yes. I'll offer you a room, full access to the kitchen, and the gardens. You'll be living up there with me, welcome to stay rent free." He smiled.
"What about my brothers?" I asked him.
"You can visit them, I guess?" He shrugged.
"No..." I frowned. "I can't just leave them with nothing." I thought up a plan... It was this, or marry Hadley. "I'll come work for you, if you give the money I make to my brothers."
John stopped walking, looking down at me. "Then, you would get nothing."
"I'll get peace, knowing my brothers are fed and well rested." I assured him.
"They can't come visit. No one is to come to the castle!" He warned me, standing over me.
I looked back to the street I lived on. "They've done everything for me... It's the least I can do for them."
"Then, you best say your goodbyes." John held a hand out towards the direction we came from, a silent gestured, telling me to go that way. We were leaving immedently.

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