Through the Archway

Chapter Nine - Part Two

Rebekah awoke in the morning to a knock on her door. Wind howled outside her window; sheets of rain and hail smacked into the glass like bullets. She fumbled to escape from her blankets, which were wrapped around her body so tightly she could barely breathe. She fell to the floor with a thud. Her name, Becca, kept repeating on a loop in her head.

"Rebekah?" A voice asked, "Rebekah are you okay?"

It was Taylor, it had to be.

Taylor Avery, Rebekah's handmaiden, was a goofy twenty–three year old with long, blonde hair and a reputation for matchmaking. She was madly in love with a guy named Mark from Glendale. She and Rebekah were best friends and had been for years. She had been there for Rebekah when no one else was.

"I'm fine," she moaned in a groggy voice. "Come in."

"Rise and shine princess," Taylor said in her usual bubbly voice despite the storm raging outside. Taylor was resilient to almost everything. She stepped into the room, closing the door behind her. She was wearing simple robes, and her hair was pulled back in a low bun at the nape of her neck.

"You look awful," Taylor said quietly. She had stopped dead in her tracks halfway across the room, her blue eyes full of concern. Rebekah looked down at herself, expecting to see a tattered blue dress, still smoldering. She was shocked, for a moment, to see that she was covered not in soot, but in grime, mud, and leaves.

Memories of yesterday's climb resurfaced.

"Hey, Tay," Rebekah said in the midst of a yawn. "Nice to see you too."

Taylor walked up to her and stretched out her arms to help Rebekah up. She pulled her up onto the bed, keeping her at arms length.

"How's life at the palace?" Taylor asked, picking leaves out of Rebekah's hair.

"You handmaidens," Rebekah sighed, ducking her head to avoid another leaf being plucked, "Always looking for gossip." Taylor laughed. Outside, lightning flashed, followed by a distant clap of thunder.

"I'm going to Glendale next week," Rebekah groaned, "I'm supposed to meet with a prince." The wind groaned with her.

"Really?" Taylor asked in an amused tone, smirking. Her concentration left Rebekah's hair. She placed her hands on Rebekah's shoulders, "I've seen the way he stares —"

Rebekah raised her hand. "No, I meant Thomas, David's brother."

Taylor blinked. "Oh," she said, then muttered a few unkind things under her breath that Rebekah couldn't make out. She walked towards the window near the bed. Rebekah thought that Taylor looked ready to shatter it. She stared out at the rain for a long time.

Footsteps echoed outside the door. It was most likely a patrol guard on orders from her father to keep her from leaving the palace.

"Taylor?"

"That little weasel tried to get Mark fired! You are kidding, aren't you?" she asked, turning back. Rebekah shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut. If only she was kidding.

"Are you okay Rebekah?" Taylor asked, now worried. She waved her hand in front of Rebekah's face.

"Yeah, yes I'm fine. What were you saying?"

"Oh, just that Thomas is evil; don't marry him even if your life depends on it; and don't trust him," Taylor summed up, counting each condition on her fingers, "But I doubt you'll have to worry. David can usually keep him on his toes." She glanced around and leaned closer although it was just the two of them.

"Thomas doesn't have any powers," Taylor whispered. For all of her strengths, Taylor was still a hopeless gossip. "David, on the other hand —"

Rebekah rolled her eyes, "Taylor! David and I are just friends! I only see him at councils and galas."

"He's the only person you talk to at those events," Taylor said, waving her hand. "Anyway, back to Thomas. Did you know that he was here yesterday?" Taylor paused for dramatic effect. "Well, he and your father were discussing things all day yesterday—"

"I know," Rebekah interrupted, "my parents threatened me with another engagement. I don't think I will be able to get out of this one."

"Really? It takes the whole day to discuss dinner? Seriously, Rebekah, your mother wasn't even allowed to... Oh, I have good news!" Taylor exclaimed, forgetting what she was saying before. "Well, it's actually really great news."

"What? Spit it out!" Rebekah said, forcing a smile. Put the dream behind you, because that's all it was, just a dream.