The Prince and the Slave: Book Three

Chapter One

She raised a hand to his cheek and gave a small contended smile.

"William..." She murmured, before everything went black...

Chapter One

"Sir, Sir! She's waking up..." The friendly, familiar voice stirred distant memories in Abey's foggy mind as she blinked open her eyes, squinting at the harsh light afternoon light hitting her face.

"Oh, thank god." An even more familiar voice sounded from somewhere outside her field of vision, and she heard the sounds of rushing feet coming towards her.

A blurry figure knelt beside her - she was horizontal and comfortable, so assumed she was in some kind of bed - and took hold of one of her hands, pressing it to their lips and murmuring more thanks into it.

Abey shook her head slightly and closed her eyes, trying to sit up, but felt several hands gently pushing her back down as she opened her eyes again.

"No, Abey, you have to rest" The owner of the voice was now sat next to her on the side of the bed, and though her vision was still a little blurry everything was starting to come into focus as a large, warm hand pushed the hair off her face and cupped her cheek.

The handsome face of a man was swimming into clarity, his bright grey eyes burning into hers, full of happiness as he smiled, leaning forward and kissing her forehead.

"Welcome home" he said simply, resting his head against hers.

She opened her mouth to speak, and the man sensed this, pulling his head away and looking at her attentively. She tried to talk, but all that escaped her mouth was a dry and strangled croak; the man quickly turned to the owner of the first voice, a young ginger girl.
"Meggie, pass us that glass of water" He asked, holding out his free hand to take the glass.

Meggie, the name floated in her mind as several hazy memories swam around - a bowl of porridge, laughing, a pair of girls chatting and giggling together...

She was brought back to the present by the man closing her hand around the cold glass, and helping her lift it to her lips. It was heaven feeling the cool water hitting her tongue, and she heard an affectionate chuckle as she gulped the entire glass down.

"Thirsty?" the man laughed, taking the now empty glass and handing it back to Meggie. Abey gave a tiny nod and opened her mouth again to speak, finding it easier now that she had had a drink.

"Wh-Who? Who? Who..." She forced out, but trailed off when she studied the man sat next to her properly. She suddenly wriggled into a sitting position, fighting off the hands that tried to push her back down and ignoring the shooting pains flying through her body. She knew who the man was!

"Will-Will" She began, struggling to remain upright but crawling onto her knees, supporting herself on the man's shoulders so they were face to face. "Wi-William!" She finally finished, a proud smile on her face as William grinned back at her, slightly bemused.

"Yes, it's me. Didn't you recogni-"

But before William could finnish Abey propelled herself forward, pressing her lips roughly to his. It was imprecise and clumsy, but it was the best kiss either had ever had. William wrapped his arms right around her, pulling her impossibly close to him and deciding he would refuse to ever let go - not even when Meggie gasped and exclaimed "Abey!" from the side of the room, not even when they both fell over sideways onto the messed up covers of the bed. In fact, he only reluctantly released his grip slightly when she momentarily pulled away from him, staring intently at him and swallowing hard. He could tell she was having difficulty speaking and that she was working up to say something, he simply drank in her features as he waited for her to speak.

"I" She breathed, still struggling to produce the words from her dry mouth. "I...Love." Another swallow before she carried on, "You." She grinned proudly again as William pounced on her, pinning her down beneath him and kissing her clumsily and roughly again, eliciting another gasp from Meggie and a "Your Highness!" as she covered her eyes, still peeking through her fingers at the couple.

Eventually, William reluctantly prised himself off the bed and helped Abey back under the covers, propping her up with pillows as he sat back next to her, brushing the now wild locks of her hair back into place.

"I'm sorry" He grinned, "I've just missed you so much, Abey. You can't begin to imagine how much I've missed you"

She reached out and took his hand nearest to her. "Yes." She said, staring intently at him again, "Can". He sighed and smiled, resting his forehead back against hers for a moment before turning to Meggie again.

"Meggie, would you mind sending some food up here? The Doctor said to make sure she ate as soon as she woke"

"Of course, I'll be right back" Meggie quickly bowed and slipped out of the room, leaving them alone. William turned back to Abey to find her frowning at him in confusion.

"Doctor?" She questioned.

"Do you remember collapsing? In the street? When we found each other again?" Abey looked at him with a blank expression and slowly shook her head, her eyes wide. "What's the last thing you remember?" He asked her softly.

He could see Abey's eyes flicking around as she saw the mental images of her last memories. "Bush" She finally said, "Run"
William smiled and took hold of her other hand, reliving the memories as he explained what had happened...

***

"William..." She murmured, her hand on his cheek, before her eyes closed and her hand fell back to her side, now limp and lifeless.

"NO!" William cried, putting his hand under head and trying to gently shake her awake. When she wouldn't rouse he clutched her to him, burying his head in her hair and letting his emotions take over. He didn't care that everyone could see, he wept as he held her lifeless form.

It wasn't fair. He had only just found her again. She couldn't be dead, she couldn't be.

He lifted her body slightly away from him so that he could take in her peaceful features, beautiful even now under the grime, looking as if she was simply sleeping.

"Abey..." He whispered, fresh tears pouring from his face.

But then he noticed.

It was was tiny, hardly noticable.

But she was breathing. Her chest rising and falling by a centimetre as she lay in his arms.

"HA!" William couldn't help but express his joy. She was alive.

Without hesitation, he stood, still cradling Abey's fading form in his arms. He ignored the shocked faces of his family and the watching crowd as he ordered the coach driver to cut free one of the horses.

The driver, too dazed by the events of the last minute did as he was told, handing over the golden cord to the Prince.

William quickly climbed on top of the horse's back, Abey safe in front of him with his arms wrapped around her. He swiftly tied the golden cord into some reigns and gave the horse a sharp tap with his boot.

The horse immediately sprang into action, galloping as fast as it could through the crowd and then back on it's way to the Palace, glad to be able to use it's legs properly after weeks of deathly slow walking through various towns.

They rode through the night, and managed to reach the Palace in the early hours of the morning. As soon as he arrived, William started to carry Abey to back up to their chambers. As he climbed the stairs, he passed Meggie, who almost screamed in shock and delight when she saw the filthy bundle the Prince was carrying was none other than her best friend.

"Quick, go find a doctor" He ordered her, and she quickly set off as William completed his journey and placed his charge carefully on the bed.

Sooner than expected, the door of the Chamber burst open and Meggie ran through, closely followed by a gentle-looking man, the doctor. William stepped away and started to pace as the Doctor checked the fragile girl for any more signs of life.

"Is she alright?" William asked as the Doctor straightened up and sighed.

"No, but she should survive. She needs to be cleaned up, and fast, then I can perform a proper examination and prescribe exactly what must be done to help her"

William and Meggie nodded at the same time and sprang into action. Meggie ran into the washroom and immediately started to pour steaming water into the tub while William gently lifted Abey's unconscious form into a sitting position.

The Doctor excused himself in order to retrieve more of his equipment, promising to return in just a few minutes.

William nodded and turned his attention back to Abey. He carefully held the bottom of the torn and muddy rags clinging to her and slowly lifted them off her. He gasped in horror and had to stop himself jumping up and dropping his love on the floor.

The skin on her body was various shades of red, purple and black, a few of the older bruises turning a sickly yellow. William swallowed and carefully scooped her into his arms, not feeling strong enough to look at her back, he didn't want to know what wounds had been added in the few short weeks she'd been missing.

She was also unnaturally thin. Her stomach was a shallow bowl and he could see her ribs starting to show through the damaged skin. Even her face had a sallow look to it, he didn't want to know when the last time she ate had been.

He carefully carried her into the washroom, fearful of breaking her like a delicate china doll, and placed her in the now full bath tub, before almost sprinting from the room, gagging on the feeling of vomit rising in his throat. He ran to the doors that led out onto his balcony and wrenched them open, flinging himself over the balustrade, gulping down lungfuls of icy February air, feeling the wind whipping his hair in his face and stinging his eyes.

It was worse than he had imagined. But of course she would be in this kind of state. He was a fool to think she would be returned to him in perfect condition, exactly the same as when she had gone.

Still, just picturing the bruises covering her body, let alone imagining how they had been inflicted, were enough to make his stomach turn.

He stood out on the balcony until Meggie came to find him, and they carefully moved Abey back into the large bed. The Doctor had already returned and started examining and treating her straight away, concerned concentration etched across his face.

After an age, the Doctor straightened up once more and turned to address William, who was stood behind him chewing nervously at his fingers.

"She'll survive." He said, William sighing in relief, and Meggie finally breathing again as she found some spare nightclothes in the chest behind Abey's screen, and started to dress her while the Doctor continued conversing with the Prince.

"But she is in a bad way. At least three of her ribs are broken or fractured, as is one of her ankles. She has several new welts and scars across her back, and multiple burn wounds."

William closed his eyes but forced himself to keep listening.

"She's also severely malnourished and dehydrated. You must let her rest, but as soon as she wakes you must first give her water and then food, immediately. She won't have much strength left in her."

William nodded and opened his eyes, smiling sadly over at Abey, now tucked safely into the bed. Her features peaceful and serene. It was as if she had never been away.

"Is there anything else, Doctor?" William asked, and the Doctor cast a concerned glance over his patient before turning back to the Prince.

"Yes. Her physical wounds I can diagnose and treat, and I can be sure she will make a full recovery. However, I cannot vouch for any mental wounds she may have. We have no idea what this poor girl has been through this last month but I doubt it has been pleasant. You must be patient with her. She won't be the same, you understand that, don't you, Your Highness?"

William tore his eyes from the sleeping Abey and looked into the Doctor's now stern eyes.

"Yes, I understand." He replied, and the Doctor nodded his head, gave a smile small and gathered his equipment, before heading out of the door. William let out a deep sigh and ran his hand through his hair, sitting on the bed next to Abey and gently stroking a finger across her cheek. "And Doctor?" He called just as he was about to leave, "Don't worry, I have all the time in the world now that I have her back. I'm going to keep her safe now"

The Doctor smiled at the Prince. "I don't doubt it"...

***

"I've been sat in that chair there for the past three days waiting for you to wake up" William chuckled as he motioned his head over to an uncomfortable looking chair placed in the corner of the room.

"Three?" Abey looked at him in shock.

"You were very tired" he smiled at her, before leaning forward and planting a gentle kiss on her lips. He pulled away as the door opened, Meggie struggling to juggle the huge platter of food she had brought up from the kitchen.

William jumped up to help her and couldn't help but laugh as Abey's eyes widened at the sight of the platter just like she had done almost a year before. William's laughter soon subsided though when he saw that tears were now making their way down Abey's face, and she her breathing was starting to grow shallow, panic rising in her eyes as she looked from the food, to the bed she was in and all around the room.

"Abey? Abey! What's wrong?" William rushed over to her as she pushed herself out of the bed and fell to the floor.

"No. No. Wrong" She was crying, curling herself into a ball as William wrapped his arms around her and held her, rocking her and stroking her hair like she was a small child.

"Sh, sh. It's okay, it's fine." He comforted her until she had calmed down. "Let's get you back into bed" He said, preparing to lift her back onto the mattress.

"No. No!" She stayed resolutely on the floor, William refusing to take his arms from around her "Then please, will you eat something?" He reached up and took a bread roll from the platter, holding it out to Abey, who tentatively took it and began to nibble at it, eventually finishing the whole thing. "Something else now" He reached up again and passed the food to Abey, who again slowly ate, but refused to move from the floor.

They carried on like this for the next hour or so, until more or less everything from the platter was gone. William motioned to Meggie that she was alright to go as he started to rock Abey gently back and forth again, her head resting in his shoulder.

When he was sure she was asleep, he carefully lifted her back into bed, covering her up and kissing her forehead as he brushed the hair from her eyes.

"You're safe now, believe that, Abey." He whispered. "And I love you, believe that too" He added, placing another kiss on her cheek before sitting back in the chair he had spent the last three days in. He simply sat there, not knowing how long for, looking at his love's sleeping form, until he finally fell asleep as well.