Vainglory

Chapter Twenty Nine- By the Blade

"You see...Gabrell was was that that I fell in love with as a child. When my heart began to turn dark, he could sense it. He left me without trying to fix me. Dorka helped in him returning to me...but she betrayed me by not telling me of his vows to another. She paid for it...by giving you up. She had admired your friendship and the one even more with Hans. I find it quite sad that everyone must lie..."

"Including you." Annabelle said as her voice was raspy.

"Yes. I did lie. But to protect the man I loved."

"I do not mean with him. With me."

"When I was fourteen I had fallen pregnant. Conceived with a peasant, my parents gave me the choice to either have him killed or to give the child up. It was the hardest moment I had ever had to accomplish... I went with the baby and saw the family in which it was gifted. A family who was barren-empty and thankful for my generosity."

"That child was me..." Annabelle said as she was losing consciousness.

Elizabeth nodded as she walked across the room and retrieved the poker which had cooled from its absence from heat.

"I had lost you as the family had left. The wife had died about fourteen years later. It was then, I wanted my child returned. I sent my most trusted to obtain all the female children from every home-royal or otherwise. As I learned from Gabrell, wealth can come from many things including luck and inheritance."

"You have other children-"

"From a man who forced me to do so....But the years I waited for my returned daughter...I developed a darkness. One in which Gabrell always feared I would act on. He accused me for his daughter's murder and I decided then to be what I am now; The Countess who is feared as respect has only earned me betrayal..."

Annabell's eyes fell increasingly heavy as she struggled to stay awake. Due to her position, the blood had been rushing to her head. She watched as Elizabeth left the room before she lost consciousness.

"Psst!" A whisper called to Annabelle who slowly opened her eyes. Upon seeing Dorothea, she moved to try to hit her before seeing how she appeared different. Aside from awfully guilty or over confident, Dorothea had a look that surprised Annabelle. "You need to wake up."

"What for?"

"I want to help you."

"Why would I trust you? You have given me no reason to."

"I understand. Believe me please."

"Leave! I do not need your help-"

"I want to give you one night with him. One more night to be with him...to have him hold you."

"That is cruel to have only one night."

"It gives you the chance to say goodbye. One of you will escape this. But not together. It is far too dangerous and far too difficult."

"Instead of placing the effort on one night? Why not help us escape?"

"I have tried. She has connections and ties into everything."

"If you truly mean what you say...cut me down."

Dorothea moved to the ropes that held her up and untied them, sending her to her feet.

"Did you know about the connection? That I am her daughter?"

She nodded.

"Why did you not say anything?"

"I figured it was best you did not know."

"For me or for you?"

"For you of course. My position here is fragile. I have upset her in more ways then I would like to admit. I have nothing to go back to. But I want to make things right-at least the best that I can..."

"He believes me dead-on YOUR idea..."

"I had to make Bathory trust in me again...."

"What does she have on you that makes you stay at her side? What is it-" Suddenly Annabelle held her hand over her mouth. "You're in love with her..."

"Of course not!"

"That is why you won't leave. It isn't that you can't...you won't...."

"You are mad...."

"Why do you care for her in such a way? She is dark-"

"She was not always. She showed me mercy as she has shown you...But I have seen how the light that used to linger has faded. That is why I want to make things right. I used to believe everything she had done was for a good reason-Now I see I just told myself that to justify that."

"Have you spoken to Hans?"

She shook her head. "He has stayed locked in his chambers for the past week..."

"If you truly want to help me, you can start by explaining this all."

"How so?"

"How I ended up here. Why me?"

"She discovered her child survived and wanted to find her. She named her Anna but it is an incredibly common name. The child she birthed was named Anna Belle Sforza Bathory. I see now how it was you."

"Why would she harm Gabrell?"

"When she is hurt, she lashes out on those she loves. Maybe that is the reason I am unharmed...She does not care for me more than a set of hands to help or my knowledge for medicine."

"And why would you only tell Hans of the poison use to harm Ficzko?"

"To protect him. She only knows a servant began aggravated against him. She threw boiling water onto him which caused the boils. He himself cannot remember completely what happened."

"Give me one reason, above all, why I should trust you."

"Because you have only one option. One that will make you survive..."

"How are we going to do this?"