Alexandria: The Lost Princess

Chapter 19 - Part 2

*Warning: Potentially triggering topics below. I will mark the scene with '*' at the beginning and end.

My mind spins with fear, and I'm stumbling through the hallway, grabbing the walls for support. My heart pounds in betrayal of my feet, they drag me farther from Tristan. Suddenly, I'm pressed against the wall, pinned between two arms. Lord Nicholas' face is flushed with ale, his heavy breath blasting into me and I gag.

"I will not have a peasant embarrass me like that again," he roars, his fist smashing beside my head and I tremble. Noticing my fear, he smirks. "From now on you will behave like a proper lady and accept our engagement with delight. Do you understand me?" He leans in our noses almost touching.

Squirming hard against the wall, to escape his violent breath, I order him, "You are drunk. Go sleep it off, Nicholas."

"I've heard you have a friend here," he slurs, "A maid? Such an odd choice. I do belief Quinton called her Estella." He tucks my hair behind my ear. "Wouldn't it be a shame if anything happened to her?"

Anger rips through me, and I hit his chest, "Leave her out of this!"

*

Twirling my hair with indifference, he ignores the pounding of his chest. "A status climbing wench like her, they tend to steal things. Wouldn't want that now would we?" Leaning in, he presses his lips below my ear. Shivering from the touch, I cringe away. His mumbles rumble against my skin. "Such an accusation would not only bring dishonour to her family but also end her measly little life." Crushing me under his weight, he rubs himself against me, his hand squeezing my breast painfully tight. A shiver of disgust rips through me, and I wiggle under him. "What a wonderful motivation she can be. If you don't behave, I will be forced to involve her."

"I'd never allow it!" I scream as loudly as I can into his ear, and he clamps a hand over my mouth. Hot tears pour down my face with a muffled sob.

"Then behave like the good girl I know you can be," he coos darkly. He grasps my jaw, shaking my face from side to side and then smashes his lips into mine. Wet lips slobber across my face in a disgusting attempt of passion.

Lifting my knee, I smash it into his bulging groin. Dropping to his knees in agony, his fingers drag against my skirt. Kicking into his chest, I push away, stumbling out from around him. He reaches out for my dress again, but the fabric is too smooth for him to capture it. A cold panic takes over my legs, and I dash through the hall.

*

"You'll pay for this! Kalen can't protect her!" His voice echoes through the hallway, and I swing around the corner.

Desperately, I tug the first door I see. Locked. Again I try the next and nothing. His loud footsteps echo into the silence, and I push off from one door, only to shake the next. Each step pounds into my heart with dread, and then a door opens up. I dive towards it, shoving the person back into the room. Slamming the door shut, I gasp for breath. Shocked faces of maids stare back at me. Sliding against the door, panting aggressively, my world blurs with a dizzy spin. The door rumbles under the stomping in the hallway. Loud banging echoes from his fist along the other doors.

"You have to hide me," I plead, fear bleeding through my tone.

"Chloe?" A few maids step aside revealing Estella, she must have left the great hall to return to work.

Panic thrusts me into her arms, and I collapse under weak footing into her chest. She struggles under my weight, looking down with complete shock. "Hide me, please," I beg again.

A maid jumps into action, flinging open a cupboard full of sheets and drags them out, placing them on a table. "In here," the older woman cries, hastily waving her hand for me.