Forgot To Tell You... I'm A Princess

The Caregiver

Rose's POV
My sisters came over to me and gently hugged me. Adeline noticed one of my cuts. It ran down from the center of my chest, across my collar bone, and up to my shoulder. Nicollete noticed it too. She gently touched it and looked up at me with wide eyes. Her mouth dropped open. They looked horrified. I gave them a look that told them I wasn't ready to tell them about it.

James spoke up. "Rose, I need you to tell me everything." He said.
"Adeline, Nicollete, can you please leave. I don't think you should hear this." I said.
"What? We're old enough." Adeline said as Nicollete nodded.
"I said, I don't think you should hear." I said again firmly. Adeline and Nicollete realized I  was serious and left the room.

I told James everything that had happened.

James's POV

Rose told me about everything they had done to her. About how they questioned her for secrets and when she didn't tell them, they tortured her by cutting her. How that man had kissed her. How he had caressed her face and kissed her face and hands. Anger filled me. I was revolted. How vile were those men that they would do that? I couldn't imagine what she had been through.

As she was telling me everything, I could tell how hard it was for her to recount everything. I held her hand comfortingly.

Rose's POV

I decided that I wanted to try to walk. James and I had been talking together. I was sitting up in my bed and he was sitting next to me. When I set my mind to something, nothing could stop me. I pulled the covers off me and swung my legs over the side of my bed.

James realized what I was up to.
"Are you sure you should try to walk? They cut your foot." Oh I know they cut my foot. It hurt. I nodded and stood unsteadily. James quickly put his hands on my waist to stabilize me. I found my balance and he let go when I told him to. I took a step. And another. I was walking! I was okay! James stayed right next to me, ready to catch me as I walked to my vanity. I sat down. 

I looked in the mirror. It was only then I realized how ugly I was now. The cut was already scarring. My eyes were surrounded with dark circles. I looked frail. I was horrified. James noticed that I was looking in the mirror with disgust. He grabbed my hand, my attention turning to him.
"Don't you dare think anything bad about yourself." He said, his voice stern and loving at the same time.

He knelt down beside me and gently cupped a hand on the side of my face.
"You're beautiful." He said. He was lying. How could he think I was beautiful? I was covered with ugly cuts. I wasn't the same. He leaned in and kissed me. That was the same. In the kiss, I could feel that his love for me was real. He didn't care what I looked like. He loved me. And I loved him.

He pulled away and looked at me with loving eyes.
"I promise, you're beautiful." He said.
"What about my scars?" I asked, looking at one of the cuts on my arm. He looked at it too.
"All those cuts show is that my beautiful almost-wife is so strong and brave." He said. I kissed him. How is he this perfect? I'm not as perfect as him.

"Now be nice to my fiance, alright?" He said. It made me laugh but I still promised I would.

There was a knock on the door, interrupting our moment. It opened without waiting for an answer. Anthony came in. He apparently didn't see James. He walked right over to me as I stood.

"Thank goodness you're alright." He said grabbing my hand and caressing from my hand up my arm. I felt uncomfortable in front of him, only in my nightgown. I stumbled back from him, but fell on the ground. He crouched beside me and kissed me. Are you kidding? He kissed me again?

I couldn't fight against him. I couldn't pick myself from the floor. I tried to escape him as he started kissing my neck. James rushed up and threw Anthony off of me. James helped me up and wrapped him arm protectively around me.

"How dare you!" James yelled at Anthony. Anthony didn't look sorry in the slightest. James walked me over to my bed and let me sit down. He strode angrily over to Anthony.
"I thought I told you to stay away from her. She doesn't like you." James said.
"She loves me. She just doesn't want to admit it in front of you. I wasn't planning on you being around. I didn't see you." Anthony said. What? I didn't love him.

"And what would you have done to her if I hadn't have been here?" James asked. All the possibilities terrified me. I crawled into my bed, hiding from Anthony. I thought we could just be friends. I didn't think it had to be like this. This was two times too many times for him to make a move. I was going to be married in a week and he still thought I liked him.

"I really don't like you, Anthony." I said from my bed. He scoffed.
"I thought you were actually sorry after the first time. This is too much. I'm going to have to tell your father." I felt like a child as I said the last part, but it had the effect I wanted. Anthony looked terrified. His father was one of my advisors. He was very strict and would be furious if he found out what Anthony had done.

Anthony turned and ran out the door. James closed the door after him. He walked over to me and gave me my breakfast that had been sitting and had gotten cold. I didn't care. It had been so long since I had a real meal.