Princess Amelia

Chapter 9 Amnesty

Blake kept his arm locked 'round my waist as if I might suddenly, lose my balance as all four of us walked down the staircase to the level floor. I, then, left Blake to find Nathanial and his two brothers within the throngs of the crowd. As soon as I was within earshot, I heard everyone around me buzzing with conversation. But as soon as I was within notice the buzz stopped and turned into low whispered and gossiping tones. I tried my best to ignore it, but they were so loud, even as they whispered. I finally found them and as soon as they saw me their eyes went wide and they rushed over to me, clutching at my legs, almost forcing me to the ground. Begging me to never leave again. So they knew the real truth and my father was just lying to everyone else to protect his image. Typical. It was quite strange though, they had never acted this way before. They usually, acted as if I didn't exist, but not this day. I guess everyone has decided to give their true natures a day off today, well except Andromeda, she's still the same as she was when I left. I disentangled us and asked them if they would like to see their mother. They all nodded their heads vigorously and I turned on my heel and they followed with Blake, Art, and Adam trailing behind.

Again, I found my way to the corridor of the dungeon and I instantly wondered what had happened to the four guards we had left alive. Well, they just so happened to be guarding the iron wrought door that led to the prisoners inside their large, iron box cages. As soon as we came into view they drew their swords and instantly, changed their stances to one ready for combat, "Halt! You are not permitted to access this area." I spoke before any of the men behind me could, "We're not here to cause any more of an uprising, but if you do not step aside your day will get a hell of a lot worse than it already has, considering the fact that you are largely outnumbered." I smiled my sweetest smile and managed to convince them to open the iron wrought door and let us pass. The door closed behind us and I searched every box cage to find her and eventually, I did. She was all the way at the back, weeping. When I came close to where she was she looked up at me with mournful eyes. I didn't know what to say because suddenly, that anger just bubbled inside of me waiting to be set free and if I wanted the truth from her I had to do my best to make her feel like she wouldn't come to harm at my hands.

"I'm so sorry, Ameila. I truly am." She couldn't stop her voice from breaking with each and every syllable she spoke. I got down on my hands and knees before her with nothing but the iron door, that kept her inprisoned, between us. I looked into her honey brown eyes, which strangely enough, resembled my own. "Why? Why did you do it?" I asked her, searching her eyes for the truth, as she trembled in fear. She looked at my through blood shot and tear stained eyes and started to shake her head slowly at first.

"I don't think you should know such horrible things about the woman who raised you, Ameila."'

I looked at her accusingly, "Why, because you plan to lie about what you THINK you know about my mother?" She looked at me with regretful eyes and then looked down at her hands folded in her lap.

"I've known your mother for a very long time. I have no reason whatsoever to lie to you. But please Ameila I ask that you know for sure--." "Tell me!" I yelled at her and she flinched away from me, but looked me in the eyes with a mixture of remorse and regret. "Well, if I am to tell you the truth, I feel I should at least start from the beginning. Would that be ok with you?" She asked me this as if I would dare object. I nodded my head yes.

"When I was about seven years old, I was kidnapped and sold to your mother's father and he appointed me to be one of her many servants. And she hated me. And I hated all of them. Her, her father, her mother, and even her brother, who was never really around much, to begin with. Your mother and I were the same age, she was only a few days older, but we were the same age. And she tortured me every chance she got because she was jealous of the 'captivating beauty of a servant girl' as her father liked to quote so many times. I never thought I could be and feel so alone. I missed my brothers, my father, every moment I was forced to wait on your spoiled brat of a mother. Then, she got married to your father and since I was a gift from your grandfather to her I stayed with her. She was so in love with him. And he was in love with her, too. After about 6 years your father became restless. And there came one night that I wanted to hurt her so when your father began to flirt with me, I succumbed to his advances.--" I interrupted her because everything up until that point was bearable, but this was hurtful to me. "You slept with my father.. while he was married to my mother?" She nodded her head and a tear fell from her eye. But then, she began to vigorously shake her head as more and more tears fell, "I thought that he loved me, I thought that he made love to me because he was no longer in love with the bride that he was forced to marry because of his title. But all he wanted was an heir and once he got that he ignored me." What she was now saying didn't make any sense; why would my father need her if my mother would have been just as furtile as her, but I said nothing because I did not know for certain that my mental babbling were true or not. So I let her continue without interruption hoping that she would in due time reveal just exactly, what she meant.